+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The fact that we are in a contentious election cycle does not excuse the rash of abhorrent acts of hate on the part of deranged citizens nor should it be used by those in the mass media to exploit because , as we all know, Trump has not always acted in a manner that we associate with "being presidential."
That said, Trump is not what the mass media and Trump haters would have you believe and they have made their own contribution to that of which they complain. They too have not come into the court of pubic opinion with clean hands.
You cannot live in glasshouses and throw your own brand of rocks.
I am not an apologist for Trump but neither am I willing to ignore the antipathy among his detractors and let is pass without comment.
There is plenty of hate coming from the left and right and most Americans, like myself , are tired of being subjected to the continued irrational stream of this type of commentary. Americans, by and large, are fair minded. It is time for the mass media and partisan politicians to get in line.
Trump is not to blame for the sorry state of American public education, nor is he to blame for the decline in our family structure and the soaring number of children born out of wedlock. He is not the cause of the '60's and the type of anti-authority society we became as a consequence. He is not to blame for the increase in our drug culture and lack of personal-responsibility. (See 1 below.)
We all know Trump is a brash New York Real Estate Developer, he is also part entertainer and has a rough edge to his personality and, as a friend said yesterday, he often will not let the truth get in the way of his beliefs but he did not pursue the re-capture of mis- directed weaponry which led to the death of four patriotic Americans and then lied about same among other misdeeds.
Trump loves to bait the press and knows how to mess with their head. Their own biases do not serve them well and lowers their own credibility. Consequently, when they fall on their own swords of fallibility they have no one to blame but themselves.
Meanwhile, you gotta love Art Donovan: Art Donovan on The Tonight Show... - SafeShare.tv
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This from the PA. (See 2 below.)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
If Republicans hold and/or increase their Senate numbers they should be in a good position to nominate and approve more conservative judges and a justice should an opportunity appear. Beyond that and particularly should Democrats capture The House, I suspect very little will be accomplished other than more efforts to stop Trump's agenda and an attempt to impeach him..
If Republicans hold control of The House, the prospect for more tax relief and attention to reducing deficits will be enhanced and possibly legislation pertaining to illegal immigration and reduction of .entitlements etc,
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
An abbreviated version of Ordman's Good News Israel Letter. (See 3 below.)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Final travelogue chapter. (See 4 below.)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Over the last few days Lynn and I have received a multitude f telephone messages, calls, e mails, expressions of concern, well wishes, words of disgust etc.
I believe we live in a great country, inhabited by great people and among us are haters and sick minded people.
I reject the one size fits all standard. I understand, at times, Trump has given comfort to those who might need such but I also believe dumping on him is simply a way of avoiding the important look in the mirror by others.
Anti-Semitism was here long before America was founded and he became president and will be here long after he is a flicker. Man is flawed, insecure and often needs a scapegoat.
What repulses me more is the hypocrisy of those who are guilty of that which they impute to others. The crowd that rings their hands and who seize upon these terrible moments to engage in pious insincerity. They are not only in all levels of government but in the press and media, aisles on both sides of Congress, they walk our streets and yes, they roam our campuses and teach in the classrooms etc..
I am not naive but neither am I willing to over-react because I do not need to project by own disgust. I can cope because I have dealt with anti-Semitism before and the best way I know is to stare it in the face and not be intimidated
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dick
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1)
The Politics of Bad
Parenting
COMMENTARY By Alan Draper
This is what our politics are like at the moment.
We’ll start with the Republican parenting style since it is more consequential, as they currently have power, giving them temporary custody of the children.
Following the example set by President Trump, Republican parents advise their children to tell the truth except when it is inconvenient to do so, that loyalty does not imply an obligation to reciprocate, and that cheating is wrong when you are the victim or get caught doing it. They like to share racist jokes with the kids and then anticipate the other parent’s objections by accusing them of political correctness. Republican parents also believe that it is important to keep some things from the children, like their tax returns. It helps set boundaries.
The Republican parenting style advises that alternative facts are sometimes necessary to counter real facts, that morality is for chumps, and that the judge of all things is how it affects your personal welfare.
But when children go to the other parent every other weekend they hear a very different kind of message. What to wear on Halloween is always a problem for Democratic parents because it’s important not to be guilty of cultural appropriation. A Jolly Roger costume may hurt the feelings of children whose parents are pirates. Democratic parents instruct their kids that edgy is good. Being transgressive is a virtue so long as it applies to other people’s values and not your own. And they encourage children to express themselves. For example, it’s not okay to mock other people’s religions unless you are doing so for the sake of art.
Democratic parents warn their children that one should not hold anyone morally accountable because people’s behavior is the result of structural forces beyond the individual’s control. Except for the bad choices that Republican voters and the other parent makes. There is no explaining why they act that way except that they must be morally depraved.
Looking back, it’s hard to know when our politics began to resemble “Kramer vs. Kramer,” when mutual respect between the parents declined and polarization set in. Previously, as in any marriage that resembles a functional two-party system, the parents had scrapes but concern for the welfare of the children previously prevented from them getting out of hand. Parents displayed forbearance and tolerance of each other’s flaws. But those constraints are gone now, and it doesn’t take much to set things off course. One unreasonable parent breaking norms of civility, telling lies, colluding with notorious racketeers to obtain embarrassing information about the other parent, even questioning the other parent’s love for the children, can create a vortex that the other parent can’t escape. You need to fight fire with fire to compete for custody.
The spiraling misconduct of both parents puts added burdens on the children. They act out more often now and have become less trusting; the adult responsibilities they must now assume due to parental default are going to become even greater in November when the custody arrangement will be reviewed. Given how demanding and fretful their lives are, and how they leave little time to study the world affairs and national politics that they previously relied on their parents to handle, the kids will have to do something extraordinary, something that will test their maturity, because they can’t depend on the cues they receive from their parents anymore.
They will have to think for themselves.
PA's condemnation of the murder of Jews in a Pittsburgh synagogue
is diametrically opposed to PA ideology until today
by Itamar Marcus
"The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the terror attack that was carried out yesterday against a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which is in the state of Pennsylvania in the US, and which cost the lives of Jewish American citizens and police officers. The ministry also condemned the harming of houses of worship by the same terrorists filled with an inherent and decayed fascist ideology, which is based on the supremacy of the white race and its hegemony."
[WAFA, official PA news agency, Oct. 28, 2018]
(See full text below)
This condemnation of the murder of Jews is a remarkable change from the standard PA messages to Palestinians. For years, PA policy has been to present the conflict with Israel as both a nationalistic war to destroy Israel and an Islamic war to kill Jews. Indeed, the messages of the PA leadership since the PA's terror campaign (2000 - 2005, the Second Intifada) has been to kill Israelis because they are Jews.
Does the PA's condemnation of the murder of American Jews mean that their religious ideology has undergone a change and they will no longer demonize Israelis because they are Jews, nor promote the murder of Israelis because they are Jews? Or does it mean that the new PA message is: Don't kill American Jews but continue to kill Israeli Jews?
As recently as last week, Palestinian Media Watch reported on an antisemitic sermon in which the preacher taught that Hitler was one of a series of people sent by Allah throughout history to punish the Jews because of their evil behavior.
The following are some examples starting from the PA's terror campaign in 2000 in which the PA expressed its policy demonizing Israelis because they were Jews and calling to kill Israelis specifically because they were Jews:
"The Jews are the Jews, whether Labor or Likud, the Jews are the Jews. They do not have any moderates or any advocates of peace. They are all liars... They must be butchered and they must be killed, as Allah said [in the Quran]: 'Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands. He will humiliate them, and grant you victory over them.' The Jews are like a spring: As long as you step on it with your foot, it doesn't move. But if you lift your foot off the spring, it hurts you and punishes you. This is the case of the Jews. Have no mercy on the Jews anywhere in and country. [Quran]: 'Fight them wherever you are, wherever you meet them - kill them.' Wherever you are - kill those Jews and those Americans who are like them and those who stand with them. They are all together against the Arab and the Muslims."
[Dr. Ahmed Yousuf Abu Halabiah, a member of the Palestinian Shari'ah (Islamic religious law) Rulings Council, and Rector of Advanced Studies at the Islamic University,
Palestinian Television, Oct. 13, 2000]
Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Madi, Palestinian Authority cleric with regular PA TV program on Islam: "I was delighted when a youth said to me: 'Oh, Sheikh, I am 14 years old, I have 4 more years, and then I will blow myself up among Allah's enemies. I will blow myself up among the Jews.' I said: 'My little son, I'll ask Allah [to grant] you Martyrdom.'
We blow them up in Hadera, we blow them up in Tel-Aviv and in Netanya through the mastery that Allah placed us upon this riff-raff. If there is no way out of death, it is shameful for us to die as cowards. The Jews have bared their teeth....they will not be deterred except by the color of the blood of their filthy people. They will not be deterred unless we blow ourselves up willingly and voluntarily among them. The Prophet Muhammad said: 'The Jews will fight against you but Allah will make you masters over them.' That is, not only through the bravery of our sons but also Allah will make the Muslim master of the Jew. Blessings upon anyone who has charged at a soldier for the sake of Allah. Blessings upon anyone who has acted for the sake of Allah and has gone on raids for His sake. Blessings upon anyone who has brought up his sons with the education of Jihad and Martyrdom-seeking. Blessings upon anyone who has saved a single bullet in order to put it through a Jew's head. We shall enter Jerusalem as conquerors and Jaffa as conquerors, and Haifa as conquerors and Ashkelon as conquerors."
[Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim Madi, Friday sermon on PA TV, Aug. 3, 2001].
A very significant religious teaching appeared in the official PA daily in a religious article by Sheikh Muhammad Abd Al Hadi La'afi, the senior PA religious official - responsible for Religious Teaching and Instruction in the Office of the Waqf. Here he taught that Islam is destined to continue fighting and killing Jews until their annihilation:
"The battle with the Jews will surely come... the decisive Muslim victory is coming without a doubt, and the prophet spoke about in more than one Hadith and the Day of Resurrection will not come without the victory of the believers [the Muslims] over the descendants of the monkeys and pigs (i.e., the Jews) and with their annihilation."
[Official PA daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 18, 2001]
Dr. Mahmoud Mustafa Najem, PA religious figure: "The Prophet Muhammad, whom the Jews tried to murder more than once, by poisoning, by witchcraft by throwing stones at him and by all kinds of political assassination. He warned us of the Jews, the evil of the Jews and the deceit of the Jews... He waged war on them and expelled them from Arabia, saying: 'There shall not be two religions in Arabia.' He explained the character of the Jew in the Quran and in the Sunna (Islamic traditions) so that we would beware of them all the time and so that we would know how to deal with the Jews... Say to the Jews: 'Expect your graveyard! Expect the final battle.'"
[Official PA TV, Feb. 8, 2002]
Dr. Mahmoud Mustafa Najem, PA religious figure: "Praise unto Allah, Who cursed our enemies; curse upon curse up to Judgment Day. And He has cursed them as well through the words of His prophets and emissaries... The Jews, however, as is their nature, and as Allah described them in His Book, [characterizing them] by conceit, pride, arrogance, rampage, disloyalty and treachery... They have a single common trait: enmity of Islam and Moslems... Note [their] deceit and cunning. Thus, it is not an exception to their nature, for which Allah transformed them to apes and pigs. [Quran] "We said to them: Be apes, despised and loathed.""
[Official PA TV, Nov. 1, 2002]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "The Prophet said: 'The resurrection will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Muslims kill them. The Muslims will kill the Jews, rejoice [in it], rejoice in Allah's victory. The Muslims will kill the Jews, and he will hide.' The Prophet said: 'The Jews will hide behind rock and tree, and the rock and tree will say: 'Oh servant of Allah, oh Muslim, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him!' Why is there this malice? Because there are none who love the Jews on the face of the earth: not man, not rock, and not tree. Everything hates them. They destroy everything. They destroy the trees and destroy the houses. Everything wants vengeance on the Jews, on these pigs on the face of the earth, and the day of our victory, Allah willing, will come."
[Official PA TV, Sept. 10, 2004]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "All the weapons must be aimed at the Jews, Allah's enemies, the cursed nation in the Quran, whom Allah describes as apes and pigs, worshippers of the calf and idol worshippers...Nothing will deter them except the color of blood in their filthy nation... We are waging this cruel war with the brothers of the apes and pigs, the Jews and the sons of Zion. The Jews will fight you and you will subjugate them. Until the Jew will stand behind the tree and the rock. And the tree and the rock will say: oh Muslim, oh servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."
[Official PA TV, Sept. 12, 2004]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "Why did Allah change the direction of prayer from Al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) to Al-Haram Mosque (in Mecca)? The reason is those [Jews] who are the cause of all catastrophes on earth. The reason for it is those [Jews] who spit their poisons at the international and regional level, those [Jews] who are the reason for every disaster of the world..."
[Official PA TV, Sept. 24, 2004]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "The Prophet said: The Resurrection will not take place until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Muslims kill them. Rejoice in Allah's victory... Everything wants vengeance on the Jews... these pigs on the face of the earth. And the day of our victory, Allah willing, will come."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 10, 2004]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "The Muslim remembers how the Jews corrupted the land... Oh Muslims! The Jews are Jews. Their character and custom are the corruption and destruction of this land. We keep warning you: the Jews are a cancer that spreads inside the body of the Islamic and Arab nation.... They invest in the East Asian countries, which were destroyed [by the Tsunami] because of the Jewish and American corruption and destruction."
[Official PA TV, Jan. 7, 2005]
Ibrahim Mudayris, official, PA Ministry of Religious Trusts and Religious Affairs: "The Jews are a virus similar to AIDS, from which the entire world is suffering. You'll find Jews behind every conflict on Earth. The suffering of nations-the Jews are behind it! Ask Britain what it did to the Jews! They persecuted them, tortured them! Ask France! They tortured them, persecuted them and burned their Talmud, for the conflicts that they tried to ignite in France. Ask Portugal... Ask Czarist Russia-who invited the Jews who then plotted to murder the Czar! And he massacred them repeatedly. Don't ask Germany what it did to the Jews, since the Jews are the ones who provoked Nazism to fight the entire world."
[Official PA TV, May 13, 2005]
The religious hate teaching did not stop with the end of the intifada but have continued until today. These are some examples:
Dr. Tayseer Al-Tamimi, PA Chief Justice of Religious Court, and Chairman of Supreme Council of Islamic Law: "Concerning the Jews, the Holy Quran says that they lack understanding, are void of wisdom, know nothing, violate agreements, etc. However, the Jews were known - it was known about them throughout history - that they make false claims, lies, forgery, slander, and fabrications, in order to justify their aggression, land theft, defilement of holy sites, appropriation of land, destruction of homes, murder of children, women, and the elderly."
[Official PA TV, June 9, 2009]
Hate speech of a Friday sermon in a mosque, broadcast on PA TV by an unidentified preacher. He quotes the same Islamic tradition cited above by others, that Muslims' destiny is to kill Jews and bring about their genocide:
"The Jews, the enemies of Allah and of His Messenger, the enemies of Allah and of His Messenger! Enemies of humanity in general, and of Palestinians in particular... Our enmity with the Jews is a matter of faith, more than an enmity because of occupation and the land... Oh Muslims! The Jews are the Jews. The Jews are the Jews. Even if donkeys would cease to bray, dogs cease to bark, wolves cease to howl and snakes to bite, the Jews would not cease to harbor hatred towards Muslims. The Prophet said that if two Jews would be alone with a Muslim, they would think only of killing him... The Prophet says: 'You shall fight the Jews and kill them, until the tree and the stone will speak and say: 'Oh Muslim, Oh servant of Allah' - the tree and the stone will not say, 'Oh Arab,' they will say, 'Oh Muslim'. And they will not say, 'Where are the millions?' and will not say, 'Where is the Arab nation?' Rather, they will say, 'Oh Muslim, Oh servant of Allah - there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.'..."
[Official PA TV, Jan. 29, 2010]
Muhammad Hussein, PA Mufti, appointee of Mahmoud Abbas: "The Al-Aqsa Mosque is threatened by the plans of the enemies of Allah [the Jews], who have violated all faith and religious laws, and even deviated from their humanity."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 26, 2010]
An article on religion in the official PA daily by Sheikh Ishaq Feleifel taught that Jews have an inherent evil Jewish nature - and comes from Adam's first son who murdered his brother:
"In this lesson I wanted to talk about Cain and Abel - that's the first story on earth, whose victim was Abel, at the hands of his brother Cain - because this story shows a similarity to the Jews and their crimes... The Jews, by throwing off their yoke, followed in the footsteps of the first person on earth who threw off the yoke of Allah. Their [the Jews'] evil nature is drawn from Adam's first son [who murdered his brother]..."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 13, 2011]
An article in official PA daily wrote that Zionism is a religious Jewish plan to rule over the non- Jewish world, and "Goyim [non-Jews] must submit to their will"
"The source of the name 'Zionism' is 'Mount Zion', one of the four mountains upon which the city of Jerusalem was founded. The Jews believe that their God lives there. Zionism is an extreme religious ideology whose aim is political hegemony and the transformation of a Jewish monarchy in Palestine into a basis for their eternal rule over the world, that others, "Goyim" [non-Jews], must submit to their will, which is drawn from the will of God."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, May 15, 2011]
The same religion columnist Sheikh Ishaq Feleifel taught in the official PA daily that Judaism is a "distorted, corrupted, falsified religion":
"The struggle between truth and falsehood is as ancient as life upon this earth... yet the mighty Islam, from the breaking of its dawn and the spreading of its light up until our time, has been targeted by its enemies... The conflict between us and the Jews is not a conflict about land and borders, but rather a conflict about faith and existence."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, June 3, 2011]
At a Fatah celebration the current PA Mufti, an appointee of Mahmoud Abbas, said that the war against Israel is a war for extermination of Jews. The moderator introduced him as follows:
Moderator: "Our war with the descendents of the apes and pigs (i.e., Jews) is a war of religion and faith. Long live Fatah."
Muhammad Hussein, current PA Mufti, appointee of Mahmoud Abbas: "47 years ago the [Fatah] revolution started. Which revolution? The modern revolution of the Palestinian people's history. In fact, Palestine in its entirety is a revolution, since [Caliph] Umar came [to conquer Jerusalem, 637 CE], and continuing today, and until the End of Days. The reliable Hadith (tradition attributed to Muhammad), in the two reliable collections, Bukhari and Muslim, says:
"The Hour [of Resurrection] will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones or trees will call: 'Oh Muslim, servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.' Except the Gharqad tree [which will keep silent]."
Therefore it is no wonder that you see Gharqad surrounding the [Israeli] settlements and colonies. This is Palestine, when we talk about it, from the beginning of the Jihad, with the continuation of the Jihad, with the struggle, and with the way of the Martyrs."
[Official PA TV, Jan. 9, 2012]
Imad Hamato, appointed by Mahmoud Abbas to be dean of Gaza Al-Azhar schools: "Humanity will never live in comfort as long as the Jews are causing devastating corruption throughout the land. Humanity will never live in peace or fortune or tranquility as long as they are corrupting the land. An old man told me: If a fish in the sea fights with another fish, I am sure the Jews are behind it. As Allah says: ''Every time they kindled the fire of war [against you], Allah extinguished it. They strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allah does not like corrupters'' (Sura 5:64)."
[Official PA TV, Feb. 27, 2015]
Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs and Supreme Shari'ah Judge Mahmoud Al-Habbash: "The conflict here in Palestine between us and the criminal occupation and its criminal leaders, is a further manifestation of our trials, a further manifestation of the historic conflict between truth and falsehood, between good and evil. Throughout history, there has been a conflict between good and evil. The good is represented by the prophets and their supporters. The evil is represented by the devils and their supporters, by the satans and their supporters. We are not inventing anything new here (i.e., Palestinian-Israeli). This is a conflict between two entities, good and evil, between two projects: Allah's project vs. Satan's project, a project connected to Allah, which is his will - true and good - and a project connected to oppression and Satanism, to Satanism and animosity, occupation and barbarism."
[Official PA TV, Oct. 23, 2015]
Unidentified official PA TV Preacher: "Allah, punish Your enemies, the enemies of religion, count their numbers and kill them to the last one, and bring them a black day. Allah, punish the wicked Jews, and those among the atheists who help them. Allah, we ask that You bestow upon us respect and honor by enabling us to repel them, and we ask You to save us from their evil."
[Official PA TV, April 22, 2016]
The most important religious figure in the Palestinian Authority and the closest to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, continues to tell Palestinians that the conflict with Israel is an uncompromising religious war for Islam against Israel and Jews. Mahmoud Al-Habbash, who was appointed by Abbas as his personal advisor on Islam and the PA's Supreme Shari'ah Judge, recently stated that conflict today with Israel is "The Battle of History between Islam and the enemies of Islam." Israelis/Jews are the"enemies of Islam," "enemies of Muslims," have a "culture of Satan," and represent "evil." Worse yet, Al-Habbash explained that the current battle is not just another battle on behalf of Islam. It is the ultimate battle described in the Quran as the "final promise," leading to great destruction for the "Children of Israel":
"Jerusalem is the arena of conflict between us and the colonialist project [Israel]... Jerusalem's [Al-Aqsa] Mosque apparently is the heading for the eruption of the conflict and The Battle of History between Islam and the enemies of Islam; between the Muslims and the enemies of Muslims; between the Islamic culture in all its splendor and human glory and the culture of Satan attempting to establish oppression and aggression at the expense of the culture of truth and goodness... This mosque is decreed to be the arena of the battle between good and evil. This mosque and this wonderful city - the city of history, religion, and culture, Jerusalem - are decreed to be the heading of the conflict... Jerusalem is the heading of this battle, this conflict, and this round, which I and many others see as the key, as the first step, as the spark of the battle of the ''final promise.'''
[Official PA TV, Quranic Horizons, June 30, 2018]
The following is the full text of the condemnation of the attack on the synagogue in Pittsburgh by the PA's Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement:
"The [PA] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the terror attack that was carried out yesterday against a synagogue in Pittsburgh, which is in the state of Pennsylvania in the US, and which cost the lives of Jewish American citizens and police officers (11 people were murdered and others were injured in the attack -Ed.)
The ministry also condemned the harming of houses of worship by the same terrorists filled with an inherent and decayed fascist ideology, which is based on the supremacy of the white race and its hegemony. It added: 'This type of terror is the most dangerous because it is inside the society and targets anyone who differs in their appearance, race, religion, or path.'
The ministry emphasized our solidarity with the American people, who is suffering in an ongoing manner from the phenomenon of terror, and [emphasized] our condolences for the bereaved families. The ministry added that 'This terror must be called by its name, and it must be condemned - regardless of its form.'
The ministry said that at a time when it condemns all forms of terror, it again warns against the dangers and consequences of the culture of hatred, extremism, racism, denial of the other, and colonialism, and calls on the senior officials, world leaders, civil society organizations, and public opinion shapers to strengthen and coordinate the efforts against terror, its organizations, and its sources."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
3) Israel's Good News Newsletter
By Michael Ordman
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Regenerating muscles. I reported previously (Feb 2015) on the recovery from muscle injury of hip-replacement patients treated with PLX-PAD stem cells from Israel’s Pluristem. Follow-up data has now confirmed the results and expanded Phase III trials are being supported by the European Horizon 2020 program.
http://www.pluristem.com/wp-
A map of good and bad proteins. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have identified certain proteins in the human body that are key to progressing or preventing diseases such as cancer. They have mapped protein to protein interactions and are confident they can develop new treatments for those diseases.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Living to 200 and beyond. (TY WIN & I24 News) Israeli biotech Cellect is developing stem cell technology that may extend individual human life far beyond what currently can be conceived. And a new international study forecasts Israeli life-expectancy to rise to 84.4 by 2040, giving Israel a world ranking of 7 (currently 13).
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
http://www.israelnationalnews.
New heart center doubles treatment capacity. A $10 million cutting-edge heart center has been dedicated at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. The center more than doubles the department’s capacity to treat heart patients with 32 extra cardiac beds, 11 post-catherization beds and 11 intensive care private rooms.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Successful 2nd heart op for Syrian baby. I wrote previously (31st Dec) about a seriously ill baby boy, born to Syrian refugees in Cyprus being flown to Israel for emergency heart surgery. He is now making a good and steady recovery in Israel’s Sheba Hospital after a second heart operation.
https://jewishnews.
Stay healthy, the Israeli way. This video highlights seven ways that Israelis exercise to stay fit and healthy.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Think positively to beat cancer. I reported previously (24th July) that Israel Technion researchers have proved that positive emotions have the ability to shrink tumors. Here is another couple of articles about their research.
https://www.israel21c.org/can-
https://www.nature.com/
Smartphone urine tests. (TY Hazel) I reported previously (22 April) on Israeli start-up Healthy.io that allows patients to test their urine at home, using a smartphone camera. Patients with kidney disease (for example) can closely monitor their condition. Siemens Healthineers is now partnering Healthy.io to provide testing kits.
https://www.reuters.com/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Support for families of a cancer patient. Israel Cancer Support Network (ICSN) offers cancer patients and their families the support they need to meet the challenges of suffering through painful cancer treatments. ICSN and its 2,000 volunteers have helped over 11,000 families from giving lifts to helping to access top doctors.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Bedouin woman joins Israeli police rescue unit. I’ve included articles previously (see here) about Bedouin Muslim women integrating into Israeli society. Now Rana Jaboua, a resident of the Bedouin Negev village of al-Fara’a has become the first female Bedouin in Israel to join the Israel Police Rescue team.
http://www.jewishpress.com/
Israeli Arab woman goes to Stanford. Israeli Arab Mira Shalah gained her BSc at the University of Haifa and her PhD in Computer Science at Israel’s Technion Institute. She is now doing post-doctorate research into Computational Geometry at Stanford University, California. http://web.stanford.edu/~
https://www.graduate.technion.
IDF helps Jordanian flood rescue. The Israel Defense Forces sent its elite 699 search-and-rescue unit to Jordan to assist the rescue operation after a tour bus was hit by flash flood near the Dead Sea. They deployed rescue equipment, established a ground command team and illuminated the area from the air.
http://www.bicom.org.uk/news/
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-
Israeli embassy in Rwanda. Israel is to open an embassy in the central African state of Rwanda in its capital, Kigali. Although the two countries have maintained diplomatic relations for years, previous contacts have been held via the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. http://www.israelhayom.com/
Chinese VP visits Israel. China’s Vice-President Wang Qishan made an important visit to Israel. After meetings with Israel’s President and Prime Minister, he addressed the fourth meeting of the Israel-China Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation. He also signed eight joint science and technology agreements.
http://www.jewishpress.com/
Thank you for helping save Thai boys. (TY Hazel) Thailand's Ambassador to Israel Penprapa Vongkovit, thanked Israel’s Maxtech for its communication technology used in the rescue of the Thai boys earlier this year. She also thanked Israel for "its special navy team and specialized diving helmets to assist the operation."
https://www.jpost.com/
Guatemala’s new Ambassador. The Friends of Zion Museum hosted newly-confirmed Guatemalan Ambassador to Israel Mario Bucaro following his official presentation to President Reuven Rivlin. Guatemala has been a strong supporter of Israel in the United Nations in recent years and moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Israeli PM visits Oman. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, made a “not so secret” visit to the Gulf nation of Oman – the first by an Israeli leader in 22 years. He discussed the peace process with Sultan Qaboos bin Said. See the extra-ordinary video of the event on the official Oman TV channel.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Rent an Israeli space lab. For a tiny fraction of the development budget for a new treatment, you can now rent one of the orbiting “minilabs” of Israel’s SpacePharma for up to six months. Clients run experiments in zero gravity by remote control from Earth. SpacePharma has two tiny milk-carton size minilabs already in operation.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Using AI to find a job. Israeli-founded startup Stellares helps tech companies find talented workers using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Tel Aviv R&D center has developed a questionnaire plus an algorithm that crawls the web and matches a candidate’s digital footprint with the job specification and company’s ethos.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
1-hour delivery with AI and robots. Israel’s CommonSense Robotics has launched a service that enables even small retailers to offer one-hour, on-demand grocery deliveries to consumers. Robots at CSR warehouses in urban areas use Artificial Intelligence to retrieve produce for humans to pack. Robots then dispatch orders.
http://www.israelnationalnews.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/
https://www.cs-robotics.com/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Tel Aviv & Chicago pair up to innovate. Tel Aviv University is partnering with the University of Chicago, University of Illinois and Northwestern University to establish the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) in central Chicago. The DPI will focus on research and innovation into cyber security, AI, big data and food security.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Punjab seeks Israeli help to recycle water. (TY Hazel) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh held extensive talks in Jerusalem with Israel’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Yuval Steinitz, on the issue of water management to boost water conservation in Punjab. Four Memorandum of Understanding were signed.
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/
SodaStream’s “holy turtle” cleans sea of plastic waste. Israel’s SodaStream (now part of PepsiCo) has launched “Holy Turtle” – a 300m contraption that recovers plastic waste from open waters. During the 4-day pilot, the device captured tons of waste floating in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Roatán, Honduras.
http://nocamels.com/2018/10/
Israeli tech used in Florida rescue missions. I reported previously (10 Mar)on Israel’s Edgybees whose First Response app saved lives after Hurricane Irma and the California wildfires. Edgybees’ Augmented Reality (AR) system was used recently during Hurricane Michael, by response teams in Florida and Missouri.
http://nocamels.com/2018/10/
Alexa – vacuum seal my strawberries. Israel’s Silo Kitchen is developing an Alexa-controlled food vacuum container system that extends food-life up to 5-times. Silo aimed to raise $80,000 on Kickstarter but after just 10 days it had pledges worth over half a million dollars. Very informative video.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New Jersey Governor’s first Israel mission. New Jersey Governor Philip Dunton Murphy visited Israel on his first commercial mission to strengthen economic and technological ties between his state and the State of Israel. A new agreement was signed that aims to triple the current $1 billion annual trade between the two states.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
http://www.jewishpress.com/
OBE for Israeli businessman. Israel’s Haim Shani, who chairs the UK Israel Tech Hub, is to be appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). British Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey said, “Haim has helped transform the tech partnership between the two countries.”
https://jewishnews.
Top multinationals invest in Israeli fund. Israel’s Team8 (formed from ex-IDF security unit 8200) has setup a second $85 million fund for technologies and startups focused on big data and artificial intelligence. It has attracted 14 multinationals including Walmart, Softbank, Airbus, Microsoft, Moody’s, Cisco and Barclays.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Best Israeli workplaces. Google is still the best company to work for in Israel, with Facebook second as per last year. But Microsoft jumped ten places to 3rd, displacing Intel which dropped to 7th. The Dun & Bradstreet list analyzes wages, benefits, career development, support provided, employment stability, and wellness.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Tech salaries keep rising. High demand for Israeli tech talent continues to push up local wages. The average pay for software professionals in Israel in the third quarter of 2018 increased by 6% year-to-year. Algorithm developers are the highest paid, but data scientists had the biggest pay rise (15%).
https://www.calcalistech.com/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Open houses and busy streets. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem’s annual Batim MaBefnim, (Houses from Within) are free open houses, with over 100 options in all parts of the city. This article highlights the Art Museum in Heichal Shlomo, Beit Kadima, the Miffal, Hansen House and especially Villa Mamilla.
http://rjstreets.com/2018/10/
Come aboard for Eurovision. Tens of thousands are set to visit Tel Aviv in May for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. To address the increased demand for accommodation, the Tel Aviv Municipality has hired a cruise ship with 500 cabins, which will dock near Tel Aviv and provide low-cost beds for many of the visitors.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Israel’s 95-year-old skydiver. Walter Bingham, broadcaster on Arutz Sheva (Israel National Radio) waited until the grand age of 95 before he took to the air for his first skydiving experience. From 13,000 feet, he witnessed some amazing views of the Holy Land.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Youth Olympics Israeli medal winners. At the Youth Olympic games in Buenos Aires, swimmer Anastasya Gorbenko won gold in the women’s 200m individual medley while Denis Loktev won bronze in the men’s 200m freestyle. Yonatan Fridman and Noa Kazdo Yakar won the acrobatic gymnastics mixed pair silver medal.
https://jewishnews.
https://www.buenosaires2018.
Israel’s Alon Day wins NASCAR Euro again. Israel’s Alon Day had an impressive start to finish win at Belgium’s Circuit Zolder on the last day of the season to win the Euro NASCAR championship for the second consecutive year. Day’s seventh victory this year matches the record for the most wins in a season.
https://autoweek.com/article/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
4)
3) Israel's Good News Newsletter
By Michael Ordman
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Regenerating muscles. I reported previously (Feb 2015) on the recovery from muscle injury of hip-replacement patients treated with PLX-PAD stem cells from Israel’s Pluristem. Follow-up data has now confirmed the results and expanded Phase III trials are being supported by the European Horizon 2020 program.
http://www.pluristem.com/wp-
A map of good and bad proteins. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University have identified certain proteins in the human body that are key to progressing or preventing diseases such as cancer. They have mapped protein to protein interactions and are confident they can develop new treatments for those diseases.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Living to 200 and beyond. (TY WIN & I24 News) Israeli biotech Cellect is developing stem cell technology that may extend individual human life far beyond what currently can be conceived. And a new international study forecasts Israeli life-expectancy to rise to 84.4 by 2040, giving Israel a world ranking of 7 (currently 13).
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
http://www.israelnationalnews.
New heart center doubles treatment capacity. A $10 million cutting-edge heart center has been dedicated at Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. The center more than doubles the department’s capacity to treat heart patients with 32 extra cardiac beds, 11 post-catherization beds and 11 intensive care private rooms.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Successful 2nd heart op for Syrian baby. I wrote previously (31st Dec) about a seriously ill baby boy, born to Syrian refugees in Cyprus being flown to Israel for emergency heart surgery. He is now making a good and steady recovery in Israel’s Sheba Hospital after a second heart operation.
https://jewishnews.
Stay healthy, the Israeli way. This video highlights seven ways that Israelis exercise to stay fit and healthy.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Think positively to beat cancer. I reported previously (24th July) that Israel Technion researchers have proved that positive emotions have the ability to shrink tumors. Here is another couple of articles about their research.
https://www.israel21c.org/can-
https://www.nature.com/
Smartphone urine tests. (TY Hazel) I reported previously (22 April) on Israeli start-up Healthy.io that allows patients to test their urine at home, using a smartphone camera. Patients with kidney disease (for example) can closely monitor their condition. Siemens Healthineers is now partnering Healthy.io to provide testing kits.
https://www.reuters.com/
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
Support for families of a cancer patient. Israel Cancer Support Network (ICSN) offers cancer patients and their families the support they need to meet the challenges of suffering through painful cancer treatments. ICSN and its 2,000 volunteers have helped over 11,000 families from giving lifts to helping to access top doctors.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
Bedouin woman joins Israeli police rescue unit. I’ve included articles previously (see here) about Bedouin Muslim women integrating into Israeli society. Now Rana Jaboua, a resident of the Bedouin Negev village of al-Fara’a has become the first female Bedouin in Israel to join the Israel Police Rescue team.
http://www.jewishpress.com/
Israeli Arab woman goes to Stanford. Israeli Arab Mira Shalah gained her BSc at the University of Haifa and her PhD in Computer Science at Israel’s Technion Institute. She is now doing post-doctorate research into Computational Geometry at Stanford University, California. http://web.stanford.edu/~
https://www.graduate.technion.
IDF helps Jordanian flood rescue. The Israel Defense Forces sent its elite 699 search-and-rescue unit to Jordan to assist the rescue operation after a tour bus was hit by flash flood near the Dead Sea. They deployed rescue equipment, established a ground command team and illuminated the area from the air.
http://www.bicom.org.uk/news/
https://www.jpost.com/Middle-
Israeli embassy in Rwanda. Israel is to open an embassy in the central African state of Rwanda in its capital, Kigali. Although the two countries have maintained diplomatic relations for years, previous contacts have been held via the Israeli Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. http://www.israelhayom.com/
Chinese VP visits Israel. China’s Vice-President Wang Qishan made an important visit to Israel. After meetings with Israel’s President and Prime Minister, he addressed the fourth meeting of the Israel-China Joint Committee on Innovation Cooperation. He also signed eight joint science and technology agreements.
http://www.jewishpress.com/
Thank you for helping save Thai boys. (TY Hazel) Thailand's Ambassador to Israel Penprapa Vongkovit, thanked Israel’s Maxtech for its communication technology used in the rescue of the Thai boys earlier this year. She also thanked Israel for "its special navy team and specialized diving helmets to assist the operation."
https://www.jpost.com/
Guatemala’s new Ambassador. The Friends of Zion Museum hosted newly-confirmed Guatemalan Ambassador to Israel Mario Bucaro following his official presentation to President Reuven Rivlin. Guatemala has been a strong supporter of Israel in the United Nations in recent years and moved its embassy to Jerusalem.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Israeli PM visits Oman. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, made a “not so secret” visit to the Gulf nation of Oman – the first by an Israeli leader in 22 years. He discussed the peace process with Sultan Qaboos bin Said. See the extra-ordinary video of the event on the official Oman TV channel.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Rent an Israeli space lab. For a tiny fraction of the development budget for a new treatment, you can now rent one of the orbiting “minilabs” of Israel’s SpacePharma for up to six months. Clients run experiments in zero gravity by remote control from Earth. SpacePharma has two tiny milk-carton size minilabs already in operation.
https://www.israel21c.org/
Using AI to find a job. Israeli-founded startup Stellares helps tech companies find talented workers using Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Tel Aviv R&D center has developed a questionnaire plus an algorithm that crawls the web and matches a candidate’s digital footprint with the job specification and company’s ethos.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
1-hour delivery with AI and robots. Israel’s CommonSense Robotics has launched a service that enables even small retailers to offer one-hour, on-demand grocery deliveries to consumers. Robots at CSR warehouses in urban areas use Artificial Intelligence to retrieve produce for humans to pack. Robots then dispatch orders.
http://www.israelnationalnews.
https://techcrunch.com/2018/
https://www.cs-robotics.com/ https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Tel Aviv & Chicago pair up to innovate. Tel Aviv University is partnering with the University of Chicago, University of Illinois and Northwestern University to establish the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) in central Chicago. The DPI will focus on research and innovation into cyber security, AI, big data and food security.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Punjab seeks Israeli help to recycle water. (TY Hazel) Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh held extensive talks in Jerusalem with Israel’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Yuval Steinitz, on the issue of water management to boost water conservation in Punjab. Four Memorandum of Understanding were signed.
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/
SodaStream’s “holy turtle” cleans sea of plastic waste. Israel’s SodaStream (now part of PepsiCo) has launched “Holy Turtle” – a 300m contraption that recovers plastic waste from open waters. During the 4-day pilot, the device captured tons of waste floating in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Roatán, Honduras.
http://nocamels.com/2018/10/
Israeli tech used in Florida rescue missions. I reported previously (10 Mar)on Israel’s Edgybees whose First Response app saved lives after Hurricane Irma and the California wildfires. Edgybees’ Augmented Reality (AR) system was used recently during Hurricane Michael, by response teams in Florida and Missouri.
http://nocamels.com/2018/10/
Alexa – vacuum seal my strawberries. Israel’s Silo Kitchen is developing an Alexa-controlled food vacuum container system that extends food-life up to 5-times. Silo aimed to raise $80,000 on Kickstarter but after just 10 days it had pledges worth over half a million dollars. Very informative video.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
https://www.kickstarter.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
New Jersey Governor’s first Israel mission. New Jersey Governor Philip Dunton Murphy visited Israel on his first commercial mission to strengthen economic and technological ties between his state and the State of Israel. A new agreement was signed that aims to triple the current $1 billion annual trade between the two states.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/
http://www.jewishpress.com/
OBE for Israeli businessman. Israel’s Haim Shani, who chairs the UK Israel Tech Hub, is to be appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). British Ambassador to Israel, David Quarrey said, “Haim has helped transform the tech partnership between the two countries.”
https://jewishnews.
Top multinationals invest in Israeli fund. Israel’s Team8 (formed from ex-IDF security unit 8200) has setup a second $85 million fund for technologies and startups focused on big data and artificial intelligence. It has attracted 14 multinationals including Walmart, Softbank, Airbus, Microsoft, Moody’s, Cisco and Barclays.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Best Israeli workplaces. Google is still the best company to work for in Israel, with Facebook second as per last year. But Microsoft jumped ten places to 3rd, displacing Intel which dropped to 7th. The Dun & Bradstreet list analyzes wages, benefits, career development, support provided, employment stability, and wellness.
https://www.calcalistech.com/
Tech salaries keep rising. High demand for Israeli tech talent continues to push up local wages. The average pay for software professionals in Israel in the third quarter of 2018 increased by 6% year-to-year. Algorithm developers are the highest paid, but data scientists had the biggest pay rise (15%).
https://www.calcalistech.com/
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Open houses and busy streets. (TY Sharon) Jerusalem’s annual Batim MaBefnim, (Houses from Within) are free open houses, with over 100 options in all parts of the city. This article highlights the Art Museum in Heichal Shlomo, Beit Kadima, the Miffal, Hansen House and especially Villa Mamilla.
http://rjstreets.com/2018/10/
Come aboard for Eurovision. Tens of thousands are set to visit Tel Aviv in May for the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. To address the increased demand for accommodation, the Tel Aviv Municipality has hired a cruise ship with 500 cabins, which will dock near Tel Aviv and provide low-cost beds for many of the visitors.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-
Israel’s 95-year-old skydiver. Walter Bingham, broadcaster on Arutz Sheva (Israel National Radio) waited until the grand age of 95 before he took to the air for his first skydiving experience. From 13,000 feet, he witnessed some amazing views of the Holy Land.
https://unitedwithisrael.org/
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Youth Olympics Israeli medal winners. At the Youth Olympic games in Buenos Aires, swimmer Anastasya Gorbenko won gold in the women’s 200m individual medley while Denis Loktev won bronze in the men’s 200m freestyle. Yonatan Fridman and Noa Kazdo Yakar won the acrobatic gymnastics mixed pair silver medal.
https://jewishnews.
https://www.buenosaires2018.
Israel’s Alon Day wins NASCAR Euro again. Israel’s Alon Day had an impressive start to finish win at Belgium’s Circuit Zolder on the last day of the season to win the Euro NASCAR championship for the second consecutive year. Day’s seventh victory this year matches the record for the most wins in a season.
https://autoweek.com/article/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
4)
Chapter 12 – Finale
The morning of Oct. 23, we left the train for the final
time about 8:30, after our typically wonderful breakfast of omelets, fruit,
breads, cereals, cappuccino or ginger tea, with bacon and sausage that we
always passed on. We’ve become hooked on the ginger tea because we both have
bad colds and it is very comforting. I
suspect that at least part of our ailment is due to the dirt and dust in the
air, alternating with extremely energetic A/C whenever we are indoors. Whatever the cause, we are both hacking and
honking and feeling punk.
We hugged our saloon captains goodbye and got on the bus
in Bharatpur. Here we were greeted by
the driver and his assistant, Taco, who had been with us in Delhi and before we
boarded the train. It was nice to see
them again, and to be back on “our” little bus that was just the right size for
our small group. We drove just a few
miles to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a bird sanctuary near town. We hopped into bike-driven rickshaws and
proceeded into the park. It was a
straight line in and out, but it traversed several different types of flora
along the way. At first, it was scrubby,
desert-like terrain, and then we moved into marshy wetlands. Jim and I felt right at home, viewing egrets,
herons, and tall palm trees. There was
also a large group of storks nesting in some trees in the marsh, with their chicks
yapping for food. Our driver pointed out
several types of birds and iguanas along the way. We also had a naturalist with us, Mr. Singh,
with a powerful telescope, who would set the scope on owls or eagles or bats
and let us take a look. There were fruit
bats in some trees who were the size of large birds. They were a little spooky as they flew around
in the daylight. Most, though, were
happily hanging upside down in the trees.
Back into Bharatpur, we strolled through a residential
area of the town. Rajeev, our Nat Geo
leader, had arranged for us to visit a private home here and see how people
actually live. We walked through the
narrow streets, feeling like invaders from another planet with our odd clothes
and big cameras. The people didn’t seem
to mind that we were there, and they gawked at us as much as we aimed our cameras
at them.
The home we visited was simple. It had a central courtyard, where indoor
plumbing had recently been added in a small add-on to the house. There was also a small platform in the
courtyard for praying. The main room was
flanked by a couple of bedrooms, with two more bedrooms reported to be
upstairs. Two women in the family, a
very young widow whose husband had died of cancer, and a slightly older one who
was a sister-in-law, showed us around. A
man stood by, not being quite as welcoming, but tolerating the visit. I’m sure they were being paid for allowing us
to barge in. Anyway, they explained to
us that the whole family of 30 people lived in this house. Some would sleep in beds, and some on mats on
the floor or outside. The women did not
know how old they were, since no records were kept of female births. (To be fair, I don’t know if the men knew how
old they were, either.)
From there, we visited a private elementary school, where
the kids found us the most fascinating subject of the day, by far. The teachers had very good discipline
instilled in these kids, so they stayed put, but they were up standing at their
seats, craning their necks, waving, and wanting to have their photos taken. There were about 30 – 40 kids per room,
ranging in age from about 4 to about 9 or 10.
It was called a convent school, but that name was a holdover from
British times, and now it just meant English school.
Lunch was at a resort in Bharatpur, preceeded by a cooking
demonstration by the chef. He prepared
an Indian chicken dish and rice pudding, and then we went into the dining room
and ate those and several other dishes.
Once again, we were treated like, and ate like, royalty.
We then drove on to a deserted city, Fatehpur Sikri, which
had been the capital of the Mogul Empire here from 1569 to 1585. The ruler, Akbar, had been worried that his
wife had not had any children. He met
with Sufi saint Salim Chisti, seeking his blessing for a male heir. It is unclear whether the city came first or
the male heir came first, but Akbar built his city here and also had a
son. It took 15 years to build the city,
and he only used it as his capital for 14 years. Reasons for leaving may have had to do with a
water shortage in the area, or the fact that he now had a son so mission
accomplished. Whatever the reason, the
city was abandoned and has sat here for about 450 years unused, except for the
mosque.
Built of sandstone, the city includes three palaces, one
for each of his favorite wives. The
first wife was Hindu, second a Muslim, and third a Christian, so each palace
has architectural details and is styled according to the beliefs of the wife.
Our little private bus could not take us all the way to
the entry into the gates of Fatehpur Sikri, so we got to take a public bus the
last little way. The driver kept adding
people until we were all packed in like sardines on the way over, but it was a
looser pack on the way back. No A/C, pretty
uncomfortable seats, and many aromas. It
was fun, as long as it was only for a few minutes.
Back on our own luxury bus, we then headed to Agra, about
36 km away. We arrived at our lovely
hotel, the ITC Mughal, about 4 p.m. and checked into our enormous room. We had a sitting room with mini-kitchen and
large flat-screen TV, spacious desk, couch and small coffee table. Beyond that was a large bedroom, also with
big TV and upholstered ceiling, and then a big closet area and bathroom with
both a tub and a shower. The best part
was that it wasn’t a drizzle shower – it had some punch!
Dinner was downstairs in the hotel. We went to bed early, since we had to be up
early on Wednesday to get to The Taj!
No matter how early you get there, you cannot enter the
grounds until 30 minutes before sunrise.
There were already at least 200 people there when we arrived, waiting in
line for the gates to open. When the
gates did open, the men and ladies were separated into different lines, and the
men’s line went much faster because they had no bags to be searched. I only had my camera on me, so I got through
a little faster than those who were carrying something more. They are very strict about what you can and
cannot bring onto the grounds, so people who were bringing food or drinks were
turned away. Our group made it through
all the scanning and pat-downs without incident because Rasheev had been very
clear about what we needed to bring – cameras and that’s it.
Matthieu liked the light when we entered, and Rasheev did
a good job of finding us spots that were not already completely blocked by
other tourists. The crowd pushing to get
in kind of takes away from the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere that should enfold
you at the magnificent place. No one is
going to take a photo that hasn’t been taken at least 1 million times before,
but that didn’t stop us from taking hundreds of them between the two of us. No matter how many photos you have seen of
this place, it is far grander and more amazing that you can imagine.
It sits beside the Yamuna River, which flows into the
Ganges. This makes the Yamuna a holy
river, so it is suitable for cremations.
It isn’t suitable for much else.
The four sides of the building are exactly identical. I never knew that before. There are semi-precious stones embedded in
the façade, and there were many more on the inside, but they were all stolen
across the centuries.
The history of Agra before the Muslim conquest is largely
unknown. A Persian poet, Salman, who
died in 1131 AD wrote that Mahmud so ruined Agra, which had been a great Hindu
stronghold, that it never recovered.
Agra rose to prominence again under Akbar, the same ruler
who built Fatehpur Sikri. He made Agra
his capital until he moved it to Fatehpur Sikri in 1570.
In the 17th century, Shah Jahan, the grandson
of Akbar, built much of the fort at Agra, many buildings in the city, and the
Taj Mahal. He was imprisoned by his
third son, Aurangzeb, in 1658. This son
also killed his two older brothers to become ruler.
The Taj is built as a monument to Shah Jahan’s wife,
Arjumand Bano Begum. She was Persian,
born in 1593. Shah Jahan fell in love
with her when she was very young, and her father arranged for her to have a
royal education to prepare her for being a queen. After marriage, she travelled with Shah Jahan
on his military campaigns, and managed to give birth to 14 children. After the birth of the last one, at the age
of 39, she became ill. She expressed her
last wish to her husband that he erect a beautiful and incomparable monument
over her grave as a token of their love.
Upon her death, Shah Jahan went into a two-year mourning
period. He visited her temporary grave
every Friday, but deprived himself of all pleasures and court functions.
He announced a competition for the design of the memorial and
received designs from architects all over the world. The design of Ustad Isa Afandi of Turkey was
selected, and construction began in December, 1631. It was completed in 1648. Twenty thousand workers labored on it. Additional buildings were added, bringing the
total number of years for construction to twenty-two.
The husband and wife are both buried here. Duplicate tombs are seen by visitors on the
main floor, but the real tombs are below ground and are only opened to the
public on special occasions.
The gardens were largely bare now, and the fountains were
not working. Still, the grounds are
beautiful in their plan, with reflecting pools and trees alongside the
walkways.
We stayed for a couple of hours, until the sun was fully
up, to see the varying light. Then we
went back to the hotel. During the
afternoon, there was a trip to a marble company, where objets d’arte made of
marble were available. I skipped this,
due to feeling crummy, and stayed in the room to work on travelogues and
photos. Jim came back with two gifts for
me, a t-shirt and a pair of pants with elephants on them. Neither was made of marble, but it was nice of
old Grumpypants to think of me while he was out.
Jim and I took a walk around the hotel grounds, which were
large and nicely landscaped. Then we all
headed back to the Taj to view it at sunset.
Unfortunately, the sun was covered by clouds, so we never got to see the
real glow that the marble can exhibit at this time of early evening. It was still magnificent, though.
More than once, I was approached by some Indians and asked
if they could take a selfie with me. One
family even handed me their baby to hold for the photo! Then I asked if I could take a photo of them,
and there was a big crowd that jumped in to be included. You’ll see them in the photos.
Back at the hotel for our final dinner, we began with a
cocktail hour to chat about our trip.
The hotel boasts an Afghani restaurant, so we went there for dinner. Everything was to be eaten with your hands,
so they gave us each a big bib to wear.
By this time, I was spent and feeling very sick, with no interest in
food, so I left early and went to bed.
Jim said the ice cream was good, and they gave them spoons for that.
On Thursday, we were up early again, all packed and ready
to go. I was feeling much better after a
good long sleep, and was ready to face a very long day.
We went first to a spot across the Yamuna River from the
Taj, where we could photograph it with no crowds getting in our way. It was a hazy morning, which added to the
allure of the building. There was a nice
park and garden on this side, with perfectly clear views of the Taj in all her
majesty. We also had a model to pose for
us, but I thought she was really superfluous – a bit of gilding the lily.
We then drove to Delhi, with just one stop along the way
at a rest stop. Lunch was a box lunch
packed by the hotel that we ate on the bus.
It was about a 4-hour drive, and we arrived back at the Taj Hotel in
Delhi mid-afternoon. We had a day room
to use until our departure. We all met
for dinner about 6:30 for our last meal together. One other couple and the Emerys were the
first to depart, leaving the hotel at 8:30 p.m. for our 12:10 a.m. flight to
Paris. All went well, and we both slept
about 6 hours on the plane. One little
jolt of an air pocket woke us up, but it wasn’t serious.
We had a 4-hour layover in Paris, which we spent mostly in
the lounge, eating pastries and drinking coffee. The flight from Paris was 9+ hours, as the
flight from Delhi had been, so we had time to watch movies and work. I didn’t sleep at all, because it was
daylight the entire way and I wanted to get back on our time zone as quickly as
possible.
Our two-hour gap between flights in ATL was used up by
waiting in line at customs (too many people now with Global Entry, so it
doesn’t go much faster than a normal line), waiting for bags, and a brief stop
in the Delta lounge. Then we were
homeward bound.
We arrived safely at home exactly 34 hours after we left
the hotel in Delhi.
I usually try to end these logs with some
observations. It seems daunting to try
that for this trip. Bhutan, by
comparison to the other places, was bucolic, peaceful, warm and friendly, but also
quite poor. The people work hard to grow
their rice, build their homes, keep their animals, and try to get by. Things are improving, but not at the same
rate as in India. It was our first
exposure to the crazy driving that we would see for the rest of the trip, and
it was a good place to begin because the craziness didn’t hold a candle to
Kathmandu or India. There isn’t even a
stoplight in the whole country. We made
two lifelong friends in our guide and driver, who now refer to us as their new
parents.
I think Jim expected Kathmandu to be like Aspen or
Vail. Wrong. I didn’t know what to expect, but my first
reaction about an hour after arriving was to want to leave ASAP. It was filthy, crowded, noisy, and still
reeling from the 2015 earthquake. Leaving would have been a bad mistake,
though. After a couple of days, I began
to appreciate the history and vibe of the place. Our brief trip out into the countryside made
me think that there is a lot more to Nepal than Kathmandu, and there are places
worth visiting that we didn’t have time for this trip.
India is just a full-on assault on all your senses. The constant beep-beep-beep of horns in the
streets, the aromas of incense and curry that seem to waft wherever you are,
mixed with the frequent cowpies and smell of garbage, the colors of the saris
on all the women – bright, cheerful, and seemingly never dirty or
duplicated. The hundreds of temples
ranging from grand edifices to tiny niches in a wall, the huge forts, palaces,
and cities within the walls, perched on top of a hill in every city, the
rolling and rocking of the train and superb service with a smile – it all
whirls around you on a trip like this.
From a tiny hovel with 30 residents to the grandeur of the hotels where
we stayed – India is full of contradictions.
The culture is changing very rapidly as the middle class grows, but they
still have enormous problems. Where will
their water come from in the future?
What are they doing about pollution?
What can they do about over-population and too many people moving from
the farms to the big cities? How does
any one government, so used to working via corruption, straighten all of this
out?
I can’t fix it. I
can only watch from afar and hope that they address these problems. But we are certainly glad we went. It was an amazing journey. Thanks for reading along, and thank to those
who send comments and encouragement as we moved through these chapters.
Final photos are at:
https://www.mmemery.com/Agra-and-the-Taj-Mahal
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No comments:
Post a Comment