Welcome home, Gilad

October 17, 2011 - 8:28 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, History and Culture, Immigrant Moments, Israeliness, Life, Politics 

We’re all thinking about how it’s going to be for Gilad, the Schalits and the greater Israeli reality over the next few days and months.

It’s astounding to think that it’s been five years since he was captured; and what has happened in that space of time. The Schalits have been in a kind of restrained limelight over the course of the last five years, making themselves and their son a well-known issue, and living a very public existence for the last 15 months, as they dwelled in their sukkah — the tent in front of the prime minister’s residence.

As they went home several days ago, their home became a kind of tourist site; mostly for well-wishers, I would hope, but probably for others as well, who wanted to get a glimpse of this couple, this family that has undergone so much for so long.

And so, this photo of a billboard that is being circulated around Facebook is a good reminder for many of us.


It says: A moment before Gilad gets home!…Let’s all take a step back, and give the family the time they need for healing and reclaiming the life that was taken from them five years ago.

Hear, hear. Wishing the Schalits the most joyous of homecomings, and hopefully a time of peace and respite. That goes for all of us.

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Gilad Schalit turns 24

August 28, 2010 - 8:55 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, Politics, War 

Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday night in Jerusalem to mark the 24th birthday of Gilad Schalit, the kidnapped IDF soldier who has been held captive by Hamas in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

According to The Jerusalem Post, at the rally, Gilad’s mother Aviva Schalit read out a letter addressed to her son, beginning:

“Again this year I have not bought you a present, I have not baked you a cake, and you will not be able to blow out your candles and make a wish.”

Further on in her letter, she apologized to her son for having been unable as yet to secure his release, and went on to address Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, imploring her to become more involved in her son’s plight.

Addressing the prime minister himself, she said: “Secure Gilad’s release, before we run out of time.”

On Friday, Gilad’s father Noam Schalit commented on his son’s impending birthday.

“Tomorrow we will celebrate a sad birthday, the fifth, for Gilad in Hamas captivity… Unfortunately, we don’t see anything happening moving forward. There are no negotiations and we do not see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Here’s some photos of Schalit and the various rallies that have taken place in his name over the last four years. May this be the last year that he’s in captivity.

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Four years in a Hamas jail

June 27, 2010 - 4:04 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, General, Israeliness, Life, Politics, Social Justice, War 

Over 10,000 people joined the the Schalit family Sunday as they began walking from their Mitzpe Hila home in the upper Galilee on an 11-day trek to Jerusalem called the “Freedom March” to mark four years since their son Gilad was captured by Hamas and was taken to Gaza.

The procession – led by Gilad’s parents, Noam and Aviva – is currently headed in the direction of Nahariya ,and will wind up on Thursday, July 8 in Jerusalem, where they’re demanding the government do more to free Gilad.

According to a weekend poll in Yediot Aharonot, more than 70% of the public favors releasing terrrorists who have committed murder in exchange for Schalit.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said that his heart was with the family as they set off on the walk, and invited the parents to meet with him when they arrive in Jerusalem.

“Four years after [Schalit's] abduction, I call on the international community to line up alongside the State of Israel and our unequivocal and just demand that our abducted soldier be returned immediately,” Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting.

On Friday, Noam Schalit called on all Israelis to join him and his family on their march, which will end at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem. Once they arrive, “we will sit and we will not return home without Gilad,” said Noam in a video message that he released on Friday, the fourth anniversary of the day that his son, then a 19-year old soldier, was kidnapped as he patrolled the border between Gaza and Israel. He has been held by Hamas in Gaza since then.

The only contact his family has had with him has been three letters and one video they have received. Hamas last week refused, yet again, another appeal to let the Red Cross visit with Schalit to verify his condition.

Needless to say, Schalit’s captivity is at the forefront of most Israelis thoughts, especially at such a landmark date. Perhaps, if all those who castigated Israel for its blockade of Gaza and its actions against the aid flotilla last month, redirected their wrath against Hamas, something might actually get accomplished.

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Video billboard raises a storm

April 30, 2010 - 1:28 PM by · 3 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, education, Environment, General, Israeliness, Life, Social Justice 

The sign in question, at the entrance to the city.

Big news in my sleepy ‘burb of Jerusalem. There’s one of those video advertising billboards that has been erected at the traffic circle when you enter the fair city.

Unlike similar electronic signs, in Tel Aviv, for instance, which are at intersections with lights where people are captive for a minute or two, this sign can grab the attention of the motorist for a 10-15 second span at best. So there’s a slew of ‘fast forward’ mini-ads and announcements that dominate the screen – ranging from PSAs like “Free Gilad Schalit” messages and local municipality messages to paid advertising for products and services.

It’s kind of an annoying and garish blight on the entrance to the city, which is beautifully landscaped and generally a sight to behold. But, I’m sure the municipality is making some well-needed income for the city coffers, so it’s no big deal. Or so I thought, until the local English-language chat group in town started receiving posts about the video sign.

First and foremost were complaints about advertisements for alcohol and cigarettes, this in a town which prides itself on its education values and teaching kids to stay on the straight and narrow. Right behind that was the ‘accident waiting to happen’ traffic hazard caused by drivers getting mesmerized by the ads as they drive through the traffic circle.

Those complaints were countered by responses defending the city’s freedom of speech right to allow advertising, and a lively debate has ensued. The upshot is that there’s likely to be a grassroots effort to get the city to either – A: Remove the sign totally or B: Remove ads deemed offensive. Who’s going to determine which ads are offensive?
Stay tuned.

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Israeli billionaire in psychiatric hospital

January 14, 2010 - 10:52 AM by · 3 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, Business, General, health 

Sometimes you look at other peoples’ lives and you think that they must have no problems – like Guma Aguiar, the billionaire Brazilian-American businessman and philanthropist who in the past couple years has moved to Israel.

Aguiar has made his mark on the country by generously supporting a number of causes including Nefesh B’Nefesh and the March of the Living. And last year, the 32-year-old wunderkind took control of the most popular soccer team in the country by investing $4 million in the nearly bankrupt Betar Jerusalem.

He’s handsome, has a beautiful family, and is seemingly well regarded in all spheres of Israeli society. Which makes what happened this week all the more strange.

Aguiar was admitted to the Abarbanel Psychiatric Hospital near Tel Avivfollowing a court order overnight Wednesday after exhibiting some extremely bizzare public behavior.

Israel Radio reported that, among other things, Aguiar arrived for the last 20 minutes of Saturday’s soccer match at Teddy Stadium between Betar and Bnei Sakhnin, saying his late arrival was due to him having visited the captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.

In an interview published in local Jerusalem newspaper Kol Ha’ir, Aguiar claimed that he entered Gaza and freed Shalit.

“He is at one of my properties. I wanted to prove that I could enter Gaza and come out alive and that Shalit could come out alive as well,” Aguiar said.

He also said that he spoke with Shalit. “He said that he wants me to tell his family how much he loves them and Israel, and that he hopes this ends soon.”

In a statement to the media, Aguiar’s family said that he would be at the hospital for two weeks, and that he had been subject to ‘emotional terrorism’ recently. The statement referred to an incident with police in the US in October 2009, in which Aguiar claims that police had assaulted him after stopping him in his car and finding marijuana. He hired famed attorney Alan Dershowitz to defend him in the case.

Here’s hoping that Guma returns from his treatment with sound mind and that he continues generously contributing to the building of Israeli society and institutions.

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