Israel shrugs off its midlife crisis... and celebrates 58!

	May 3, 2006

Check today's blog | Support our Zionist mission! SPONSORED BY: Shmooze: The Jewish Social Network Shmooze is a gathering place for the Jewish People in all its diversity, enabling Jews the world over to define themselves, create friends and business connections, upload and share photos, create and join groups, each with built-in forums, multi-user blogs and file collections. Organizations and publications can use Shmooze to created their own branded social networks. It's more than a dating site, and it's not just for singles... though singles will LOVE it. There's nothing quite like it and, best of all, it's free for individual members. Check it out! OPENING LINES: Israel tries to shake its mid-life crisis Dear Israel Insider Readers: Today we celebrated our 58th birthday, the first in about 1936 years, since the Romans threw most us out of here, that Israel has more Jewish citizens than any other nation. It's not that we're such an amazingly attractive place (although we are). It's that we make more babies, and we don't marry out -- factors that cause the Jewish population in every other country to dwindle. Only Israel's Jews are increasing. This is a sobering thought, dwarfing in many respects the mid-life doldrums this nation is going through. Between the looming threat of a mad-dog Iran with nuclear capability and the danger of civil war as Ehud Olmert tries to dismantle dozens of Jewish communities and expel tens of thousands of Jews from their homes -- one would hope that the nation could just buy itself a red ragtop, get itself a hair transplant, start an affair with a 20-something year old nation, and just... get over it. The truth is this: Israel, for all its official stagnation and corruption, is young at heart and fierce in its independence. We may look to America to steal concepts for Reality TV, but Israelihood, more than ever, has a meaning and a substance lacking from Jewish life in any other place and in fact lacking from many other self-respecting nations. Israel is the Jewish future, even if that future is faced with the knowledge that we are a small nation facing large dangers. In theory, we could be obliterated with a couple of nukes. In practice, we are here to stay and will probably be the last nation standing in this region if and when push comes to shove. That may be a hope, and a prayer, but I think there's good grounding for my faith in the reborn Jewish state. If you have never been here, you owe it to yourself. And if you're a young Jew, or an older Jew young at heart, consider doing yourself a favor and take seriously the idea of Israel as YOUR home. I did, 22 years ago, and I've never looked back. Finally, please do, if you are a Jew, please sign up for Shmooze, our Jewish social network. It's fun, it's free, it's interesting and you'll thank me when you find your bashert or future business partner. And if you're not Jewish, don't fret. We have plans to roll out a pro-Israel site for non-Jews as well. If you're connected with an organization interested in your own social network, please contact me directly! So, dear readers, happy birthday to Israel, and chag sameach to us all! Reuven Koret Publisher TOP OF THE NEWS: Shrugging off a mid-life crisis, Israel celebrates its 58th birthday The Jewish State, with over 5.8 million members of the tribe, at last surpassed the US. Articles Abbas says he will not seek second term, will negotiate with Israel Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday he will not seek a second term of office when his four-year mandate expires in 2009. Olmert's Cabinet take shape, but questions remain Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert presented a new Cabinet lineup that includes the daughter of a legendary Zionist underground fighter as foreign minister. Israeli army chief: against retaking Gaza, for stopping Iranian nukes Israel's military chief said in comments published Tuesday that he is opposed to the reoccupation of the Gaza Strip in an effort to stop Palestinian terrorists from firing rockets. Israel observes Memorial Day for fallen soldiers, terror victims With the wail of air raid sirens at sundown Monday, Israel began its annual observance of Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks. American students fly to Israel to support wounded classmate Thirty-one classmates of an American high-school student critically wounded in a suicide bombing held an emotional prayer service for the boy, after flying to Israel. Woman killed accidentally by IDF as terrorist fugitives resist surrender IDF shot and killed a Palestinian woman and wounded her two daughters on Monday when they fired on a house in Samaria that an Islamic Jihad terrorist was hiding in. Israel orders settlers to evacuate building in Hebron Israel has notified a group of Jewish settlers in the Judean city of Hebron that they must leave a building they recently occupied or face a forced evacuation. Israel's Kadima signs coalition deal with Shas party, securing majority Interim PM Ehud Olmert's Kadima Party on Sunday signed a coalition deal with the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, media reported, securing a parliamentary majority. Israel approves construction of fence around Jerusalem Israel's Cabinet voted on Sunday to lay temporary fencing around areas of Jerusalem where the controversial security barrier still hasn't been built. IDF: Palestinians have smuggled Katyusha rockets into Gaza Palestinian terrorists have smuggled Katyusha rockets into the Gaza Strip, potentially threatening towns well inside Israel, a senior Israeli military official said Friday. Hamas' first month in power: collision course with Israel and world Just one month into its reign, international isolation of Hamas has deprived it of the funds needed to meet Palestinians' basic needs. Eros B, meant to track Iranian nuke program, sends first images The first high-quality images from an Israeli spy satellite designed to track Iran's nuclear program arrived at a ground station over the weekend, an Israeli official said Sunday. Leftist government taking shape with deal between Olmert's party and Labor The incoming Israeli government will move swiftly to flee from most parts of Judea and Samaria and complete construction of the separation barrier. Israeli Robots and their masters compete for prizes, bragging rights The event, called TechnoBrain, brings out the inventive talents of students, who try to fulfill a tongue-in-cheek robotic chore with appropriate technical and design flare. Yuval Neeman -- physicist, politician, founder of space program -- dies at 80 Yuval Neeman, founder of Israel's space program and a key figure in the nation's nuclear efforts, died Wednesday, his daughter said. He was 80. RECENT VIEWS Dreaming on Yom HaZikaron By Ze'ev Orenstein No matter how many speeches I'll hear, be it today or tomorrow, it doesn't make up for not being there, in Eretz Yisrael. Daniel's Story By Lori Lowenthal Marcus Why is his story not newsworthy? because Daniel Wultz is a teenager, an American, now an amputee, or because he is a Jewish Zionist? 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Perverting the Message of the Shoah By Ze'ev Orenstein Under the guise of promoting tolerance and co-existence, the memory of the Holocaust, along with the foundations of the Jewish State, are undermined. It will never go away? Never? By Paula R. Stern There was no Israel to come get them. No country that swung into alert as the dawn of Nazism brought darkness to Europe. The Case against Cindy Sheehan By Bruce S. Ticker Sheehan cannot convince us that she does not have issues with Israel -- and Jewish people in general -- by hiding behind Lerner, who out-liberals most Jews. I Cried in Room #617 By Tamar Yonah It was a poem someone had written. Someone who was living in my hotel room. Someone who for 8 months was crammed into this room with his family. Briefs Holocaust Museum to help trace Jews held in German-occupied France during World War II Islamic Jihad delegation in Cairo for talks on Palestinian situation Former professor sentenced to more prison before he can be deported Rice clings to hope of a Hamas turnabout Report: Rabin's jailed assassin barred from inseminating his wife Israel shocked by alleged rape of young girl on army base Vanunu accepts invitation to Norwegian festival despite travel ban USEFUL LINKS Israel News in English Wiresearch/Newsportals about Israel Israel Insider Yahoo Jerusalem Post Google Israel news (by relevance) Haaretz (English) Google Israel news (by recency) Israel National News   Israel News in Hebrew Other Maariv Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ynet Israel Defense Forces Haaretz CoP/JCPA Daily Alert Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio) WebLog of Mideast Politics Voice of Israel (Second Network) OpinionJournal Best of the Web The Israel Insider daily briefing is a limited circulation newsletter intended for supporters and subscribers only. 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