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1. Central Bank Profits on Dollarby Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu  Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Stanley Fischer has racked up tens of millions of dollars in profits on paper since he ordered the Bank to begin buying dollars six months ago when it was worth only 3.30 shekels. As of Wednesday morning, the greenback was worth 3.83 shekels, the first time since January 3 the shekel-dollar rate was above 3.82.
Fischer, who previously had said that central bank intervention usually fails when used to try to stabilize local rates, surprised everybody last March and ordered massive purchases of dollars. The local rate had taken a deep dive to nearly 3.20 shekels to the dollar, a 12-year low.
The strong shekel severely hurt exporters, whose dollar profits declined sharply after conversion to shekels.
Fischer ordered that the Bank of Israel begin increasing its dollar reserves by approximately $7 billion from the $28 billion at the end of last year, a level much lower than in the prior three years.
"The Bank will increase the reserves by about $10 billion over a two-year period by acquiring about $25 million per day," he stated in March. In July, when the shekel-dollar still was floundering around the NIS 3.25 level, the Bank increased purchases to $100 million a day.
Fischer observed at the time, "It is possible that within the coming weeks we will witness the continuation of the signs of change. There is a change of atmosphere, and what's important in a financial crisis is the atmosphere."
Investors who listened to some currency experts instead of following Fischer's actions have lost dearly if they held on to shekels. One Bank Leumi trader was quoted at the time as predicting that the rate would sink to three shekels to the dollar.
Instead, the dollar has appreciated by 15 percent in the past six months as investors have learned that a global recession may affect European countries while dire forecasts for the American economy already have been taken into account.
The Bank's initial purchase last March was $930 million. Assuming daily Bank of Israel dollar purchases of $25 million a day at an average rate of 3.50 shekels to the dollar, it has bought nearly $3 billion in dollars, resulting in profits on paper of approximately $300 million.  2. Jews Banished from Temple Mountby Hillel Fendel  A mob of dozens of Arabs threatened and nearly surrounded a group of Jewish worshipers who visited the Temple Mount over the Simchat Torah holiday on Tuesday. The police told the Jews to leave. The Arabs, who were preparing for a demonstration, approached the Jewish group and chanted "Allahu Akbar" - a phrase ostensibly praising G-d, but often used to herald an imminent terrorist attack. The police then intervened, told the Jews they should cut their visit short, and arrested two Arabs suspected of inciting the mob. No one was hurt. Last week, during the Sukkot holiday, Temple Institute Director Yehuda Glick was arrested for several hours while waiting in line with hundreds of others to visit the Temple Mount. The police accused him of "instigation and provocation" in the framework of his activities to encourage Jews to visit the Mount, and asked for a court order keeping him away from the area for six months. Even after the police reduced their demand to 20 days, Jerusalem Magistrates Court Judge Morris Ben-Attar ordered them to release Glick immediately. The judge stated emphatically that the Jewish right to pray on the Temple Mount is legally guaranteed by the State of Israel. Some 400 people visited the Mount, Judaism's most sacred site, on Tuesday morning, and another 500 attempted to do so that afternoon - after having coordinated their plans with the police in advance. Despite this, the police were not prepared for such large numbers, refused to allow them in - and arrested Glick in the process. Speaking later with Arutz-7, Glick expressed "sorrow that the police, instead of admitting their failure in preparing for the hundreds of visitors - even though they knew about them for months in advance - chose instead to take revenge on someone who has led an approach of cooperation with the police." Glick said that the Tuesday holiday visit did not even start off smoothly: "It was a group of 16 members of the family of Rabbi Yosef Elboim, who has been promoting Temple Mount awareness for 40 years. But the police said that only 15 people were allowed up at once... It took them 20 minutes to decide that the 16th person could also go up. Then, while the Arabs were preparing to demonstrate, the police didn't do anything, and when it began to be a little dangerous, they told the Jews that they had to leave." Ascent to the Temple Mount is a matter of rabbinic dispute. Many say that it is forbidden according to Jewish Law, because of the danger of setting foot in Biblically-prohibited areas. Other rabbis, however, say that these areas can be clearly delineated, and that those who immerse in a ritual bath [mikveh] and take other rabbinically-prescribed precautions before their visit can be assured that they will walk only in permitted areas. The latter add that it is not only permitted, but also recommended, to visit the Mount under these circumstances. 3. Iranian Dirty Bomb Was Hijacked by Hana Levi Julian  Web blogs all over the Internet are continuing to buzz about an Iranian ship that was hijacked last August by Somali pirates and which Russian sources warned contained a dirty bomb intended for Israel.
The hijacking passed largely unnoticed in the mainstream media, save a brief mention in the news on August 22 that reported that three vessels – Iranian, Japanese and German – and their 57 crew members were hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia . Several pirates died after they forced open part of the cargo.
The waterway connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean . Somalia , host to the longest coastline in Africa (1,880 miles), is an international piracy and terrorist hotspot. Foreign vessels are often seized by pirates in the area, who hold the ships and their crews for ransom.
According to its manifest, the MV Iran Devant had departed Nanjing , China on July 28 and was headed to Rotterdam to deliver 42,500 tons of iron ore and "industrial products" to an unidentified "German client."
But the Iranian bulk carrier with 29 crew members, owned and operated by the U.S.-sanctioned Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL), was apparently transporting cargo considerably more significant than the average contraband.
The 40 pirates, armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) brought the ship to Eyl, a fishing village in northeastern Somalia , according to numerous bloggers. There a larger contingent of pirates took control of the vessel – 50 on board and 50 patrolling on the beach.
Initial attempts to inspect the ship's seven cargo containers failed. The pirates could not break into the holds and the crew swore they did not have access codes to the locks.
The captain and engineer of the vessel evaded answering questions about the contents of the holds, despite threats by the pirates to blow up the ship. They first said the containers held crude oil, but then changed the story to say there were "minerals" in the holds.
When at last the pirates succeeded in opening one of the containers, they discovered packets of what they later reported to be "a powdery fine sandy soil."
The ship was released by the pirates on October 10, announced the IRISL public relations office, "after seven weeks of negotiations with Somali pirates." All 29 members of the crew were reported safe. Iran criticized world powers for its indifference toward the lack of security in international waters. IRISL, which is run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, added in its statement that the vessel was sailing towards international waters. It is not clear where the ship is presently located.
Russian Intelligence: Ship Was a Dirty Bomb Sent to Israel U.S. and Israeli intelligence officials maintained a tight-lipped silence on the incident. However, Russian intelligence sources said the ship was "an enormous floating dirty bomb, intending to detonate after exiting the Suez Canal at the eastern end of the Mediterranean and in proximity to the coastal cities of Israel .
"The entire cargo of radioactive sand," said the Russian sources, " [was] obtained by Iran from China (the latter buys desperately needed oil from the former) and sealed in containers which, when the charges on the ship are set off after the crew took to the boats, will be blasted high into the air where prevailing winds will push the highly dangerous and radioactive cloud ashore."
Several military web blogs have noted that had the ship's crew succeeded in reaching Israel 's coastal waters with their deadly cargo, it would have been quite easy to escape the vessel in small boats and then detonate explosives on the vessel. The radioactive powder, which would have been blown into the air, would have been carried by the wind straight to Israel .
Israeli government officials could not be reached for comment. 4. 28th Kassam Attackby Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu  The 28th Kassam attack since the "virtual ceasefire" that began on June 19 broke weeks of quiet near Ashkelon Tuesday night. No damage or injuries were reported.
The latest Kassam attack came amid rising tension in Gaza , where Hamas said that it foiled an assassination of one of its leaders. The terrorist group accused "fifth-columnists" of planting a bomb near the home of one of its commanders as a way of interfering with Egyptian attempts to forge an agreement between Hamas and Fatah, led by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
The truce has been violated nearly 50 times by Gaza terrorists who have fired mortar shells and shot at IDF soldiers patrolling the Gaza separation barrier.
In response, Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered that the Gaza crossings be closed on Wednesday, the same retaliation he has ordered after previous Arab violations of the tenuous ceasefire. Under normal circumstances, Israeli lets through each day scores of truckloads of humanitarian aid from world aid organizations and supplies from Israeli companies.
The rocket landed in the fields of a kibbutz near the port city of Ashkelon , where strategic facilities are located. The Color Red early warning system was sounded.
Despite the relative quiet over the past several weeks, city security squads have routinely carried out training exercises in expectation of further violations of the temporary truce, which was to last six months.
Defense Minister Barak told Gaza Belt community leaders earlier this week, "The ceasefire is fragile by its very nature, but we have nothing to regret. The ceasefire lasted longer than expected and may continue."
Hamas said earlier this week said it will agree to extend the truce on condition that it also applies to Judea and Samaria and on condition that the Rafiah crossing at the Egyptian border is re-opened. Israel has refused to re-open it until Hamas releases kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, who was abducted in June, 2007.
5. Obama Camp in Hassidic Sukkahsby Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu  The Obama camp went on the "sukkah circuit" this week in the Brooklyn, New York community of Williamsburg 's Hassidic Jews, including those in the anti-Zionist Satmar sect.
Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York spoke in a sukkah (a tabernacle which Jews dwell in during the Sukkot Holiday) while wearing a kippah [skullcap] stamped with the words "my Bubby votes for Obama." He touted Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama as good for Israel .
The Senator's Jewish outreach director, Jeremy Goldberg, told the Jewish Forward that aides are holding similar events in the community of the Satmar sect, which opposes the existence of the State of Israel.
Obama this week received backing from the Hamas terrorist organization, which earlier in the year was cool to him because of his statement that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel . He immediately backtracked from his statement following fierce Arab objections and tried to explain that he really meant the city should not be divided by barbed wire, as it was during the Jordanian occupation between 1947 and 1967.
Hamas spokesman and advisor Ahmed Yousef told WABC's John Batchelor this week that an Obama administration would be "more fair and impartial" than the Bush government. He referred to Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden as "a great man." Yousef added, "We do count on him also as a good partner with Mr. Obama to put the right policy regarding how to handle the problems in the region."
Prior to Sen. Obama's statement on Jerusalem , Hamas had compared him with former President John F. Kennedy. Obama's chief strategist David Axelrod said he was "flattered" by the comparison. 6. Journeys to Judaism: Part 3by Hillel Fendel  Administrators of the decade-old Beit El Yeshiva website say they continue to be inundated with letters from youngsters asking for advice as they struggle with their families and friends to become Jewishly observant. -- Third in a series -- The website, which provides thousands of Torah articles and classes and features a popular "Ask the Rabbi" section, attracts many visitors who are not religiously observant, but who want to learn more about Judaism. The website's response team replies with initial answers and explanations, and then matches up those who wish with a local rabbinical advisor who can provide more hands-on help. The yeshiva website released 16 pages (!) of letters from mostly young readers indicating this phenomenon. Several translated samples have been provided in previous articles [first in the series, second in the series], and a third collection follows: Shalom. I am a 25-year-old male, having come close to Judaism over the past five years, and have been observing the Sabbath for about six months. My family's home is secular, and they don't exactly welcome my religious observance, to put it mildly. It makes it very difficult for me, to the point where I feel that this is too difficult of a test and that I am not able to pass it. I have no idea what to do, and I am unable to serve G-d under these circumstances. People around me are insensitive to my feelings about religion, and are quick to mock and scorn. I am in tremendous pain and sorrow; I have to study Torah secretly, and I don't think my family will ever accept this. I feel as if there is a large wall in front of me that I cannot pass! Can you help? **** Thank you for answering; your response helped me greatly with my complex problem... I am still a young boy, around 17, and I am growing up in a house that swings between secular and slightly traditional. I am beginning a process of returning to observant Judaism, but I am dealing with many difficulties because of this, thank G-d... I have a girlfriend that I love very much, but I wonder if that itself is a sin... and there are great tensions at home. Rabbi, what am I supposed to do? I am trying to become observant gradually, so as not to hurt anyone, Heaven forbid, or cause sorrow to my parents. How am I to do this? I am sorry to waste your time on such questions. **** Our eldest daughter has become more religious, and in order to respect her, we try to set a nice Friday night Sabbath table, and after she returns from synagogue, we try to sit down for Kiddush all together. But the problem is that it doesn't work out that way. Our son, 14, doesn't want to come in from the basketball court so fast, and the other daughters are tired and are not always anxious to come in and join us... And then my husband gets angry and then he tells my daughter that this is the last time, and then I get involved and get angry at him, and he gets angry at me, and then instead of sitting together and greeting the Sabbath, I just end up crying. I beg you if you have an idea or advice. I would like to mention that sometimes we made Kiddush without the other children, but it's not the real thing. Thank you. **** I'm from a lightly-traditional family, and I put on tefillin every morning. I wanted to know what other prayers there are to read...For instance, is there a special prayer before going to sleep, and the like... I hope you will answer me. **** [From a teenage girl] I have a girlfriend who has been becoming religious for nearly two years; her father was very opposed at first, but now it's a bit better... We were together in a class, but I left when the teacher started teaching all sorts of heresy - but my friend remained... She called me yesterday to tell me that she doesn't feel so connected to religion anymore; she says she doesn't want to be secular, but she feels sad because she doesn't go to parties anymore like she used to... She is all mixed up; she says she doesn't feel like she is making progress in religion, and she doesn't know if she should remain religious because her family is not. I want to help her but I have not been able to. If you can help me, I would be very happy. **** I am almost 16 and my mother is pregnant with twins. I am a believing type, and my family is also traditional and are people of faith. I have been getting more religious of late, and I study more Torah and keep the Sabbath as much as I can (not so little... pretty much). My question is: What can I do to ensure that the babies will be 100% healthy and whole, and that they will be connected with religion and will believe in G-d? Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed, the yeshiva's founder and dean, and community rabbi of the town of Beit El, said in his annual Repentance Sabbath lecture to some 500 people before Yom Kipppur: "There is some kind of bug in the air, a bug of spirituality and holiness, and it infects those who are even a little bit sensitive to it. It is going around, and this generation is particularly prone to catching it, and we have to recognize it and encourage it and realize that we are taking part in a critical cultural battle for the religious character of the State of Israel. This is a special moment; all of us gathered here, as if to receive our special instructions and take on our special assignments in this battle. Everyone should try to increase helping others spiritually and materially, as well as Torah study and good deeds, and with G-d's help we will emerge victorious!" 7. Sony Bows to Muslim Protestsby Hana Levi Julian  With less than four days to go before its projected top-selling video game was to arrive in retail stores on every continent, Sony Corporation yanked the deliveries due to fears the game would offend the world's Muslims.
Sony Corporation issued a global recall for the video game, "LittleBigPlanet" just as it was being prepared for delivery for the start of the big winter holiday season.
The game involves international travels in realistic environments by a funny little knitted and black button-eyed hero, Sackboy. The move was an expensive bit of extra insurance at a time when every day can mean millions of dollars in retail holiday sales.
Two Arabic-language phrases in one of the background music cuts used in one of the numerous levels of the game were belatedly found to have been taken from the Koran. According to a spokesman for Sony, the discovery was made by an online player of the game during testing.
The song, "Tapha Niang" (composed and sung by Mali-born singer and kora player Toumani Diabate, himself a devout Muslim, with a prayer room attached to his office) includes two lines from the Koran: (3:185) "Every soul shall taste of death" and (55:26) "All that is on earth will perish."
Apparently there are some forms of Islam that forbid the intermingling of Koranic text and music, hence the offense.
In a statement posted on Sony's official PlayStation blog, Corporate Communications and Social Media Director Patrick Seybold explained the dilemma and said the game would be re-issued without the possibly offensive material by the end of the month.
"During the review process prior to the release of LittleBigPlanet, it has been brought to our attention that one of the background music tracks licensed from a record label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in the Koran. We have taken immediate action to rectify this and we sincerely apologize for any offense that this may have caused," read the statement.
Media Molecule, the UK-based developers of the game, prepared a patch to be offered on-line to users that would immediately remove the "offensive" material. But Sony was concerned about consumers who did not have Internet access. Rather than risk the wrath of those they might have missed, the company opted instead to go for "better safe than sorry."
The game is currently scheduled for shipment to retail outlets in North America by October 27. In Europe and other areas of the world, shipping is set to begin November 3.
The American Islamic Forum for Democracy opposed the censorship. Edge quoted M. Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., president of the nonprofit group, as saying that "Muslims cannot benefit from freedom of expression and religion and then turn around and ask that anytime their sensibilities are offended that the freedom of others be restricted."
The BBC reported that Manzoor Moghal of the Muslim Forum think-tank praised Sony for its sensitivity and "for taking decisive action by withdrawing these games immediately, and releasing a version that is not offensive to Muslims." 8. Prayer, Unity and Rejoicingby Yoni Kempinski, IsraelNN TV  Israel's most popular cultural TV magazine in English “Israeli Salad” presents a special Sukkot report direct from the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Hashana Raba, the last day of the Sukkot Holiday. As thousands of Jews arrived at the Western Wall before sunrise on Monday for the early morning Vatikin prayer service, show host Yoni Kempinski takes you up close with explanations and sensations from the holiest spot on earth. Click the player below for this don't-miss edition of Israeli Salad. [video:123538] |
Rejoicing with the Tora 
Prayer, Unity and Rejoicing at the Kotel 
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