~ Day 15~ Remember ~

The recent class of Police service Cadets. 

 The fires in Haifa are out. The cooperation of many in Israel and internationally brought this about. Today it is raining. Many have been praying for Israel.  G-d heard us. May we in the Land understand that is it only by His hand have these two Hanukkah miracles happened. May we remember.

The posting today is in memory of those who lost their lives this past week in the terrible fires in Haifa. There are many outside Israel who are taking collections to help with the needs presented by these fires. Please consider making a donation in honor of one of these brave young people.

Shimon Dayan, 28, married, of Karmiel, is survived by his wife.

Derman Kiril, 28, married, of Afula is survived by his wife.

Tanya Lansky, 23,

Avi Noach, 34, married, of Jerusalem, is survived by his wife and two children.


Tafash A'adel, 33, married, of Beit Jan, is survived by a wife and two children.

Wassim Abu-Reish, 28, married, of Yarkha, is survived by a wife and three children.

Vasim Abu Rish, 32, of Kfar Yarka, served in the Rimonim Prison.

Warden Rafi Alkalai, 54, married, of Lapid, is survived by his wife and five children.

Inbal Amoyal, 26, is survived by her parents and four siblings.


Anonymous, at the request of the family.

Yifrach Ayala, 23, single, of Kiryat Bialik,

Yaron Bermi, 31, married, of Mevuim is survived by his wife and one child.

Ro'i Biton, 28, of Kiryat Gat, married, survived by his wife who is eight months pregnant and a young son.

Warden Faviola Bohadana, 48, mother of two, of Ness Ziona.

Police Dep.-Comdr. Lior Boker, 57, Northern District Operations Branch commander, promoted posthumously to Assistant-Commander.

Maor Ganon, 27, of Gan Yavne, married with one child, was a member of the Nachson unit.

Dimitry Gerstein, 27, single of Tel Aviv, served in the Nachshon unit.

Hagai Jorno, 28, of Kiryat Gat, married, survived by his wife and young daughter, was laid to rest in his city's military cemetery on Friday.

Calai Chen Kefir, 35, married of Gan Yavne, is survived by his wife and three children.


Efrat Chen, 35, single, of Ra'anana, served in the Neve Tirza Prison for women.

Topaz Even Chen Klein, 28, of Rehovot, married, served in the Office of the Spokesperson.

Dimitry Kozlov, 45, married, a resident of Be'er Sheva, is survived by his wife and one child, served in the Ketziot Prison.

Aviram Levy, 32, married, of Tiberias, is survived by his wife and one child.

Maurice Levy, 32, single, of Tiberias, served in the “Nir” school.

Calai Chen Kefir, 35, married of Gan Yavne, is survived by his wife and three children.

Iliya Langman, 31, married, of Nahariya, served in the Kishon Prison and is survived by his wife.

Uriel Malcha, 32, married, of Karnei Shomron, is survived by his wife and five children.

Police Ch.-Supt. Yitzchak Melina, 46.

Kfir Ohana, 30, married of Ofakim, served at the Oholei Kedar prison. He is survived by his wife Olga, who is nine months pregnant and a 2-year-old daughter.

Hanan Ohayon, 31, married, of Nazareth Illit, is survived by his wife and two children.

Ronen Peretz, 34, of Ashkelon, married, survived by his wife Shirit and two young children ages 6 and 3.

Hagai Pinkar, 31, married, of Yerucham, is survived by his wife and a child.

Oshrat Pinto, 26, single, of Tzfat, is survived by her parents and siblings.

Vadislav Rachamimov, 30, single, of Be'er Sheva, served in the Nafcha Prison.

Elad Riven, 16, volunteer in the Fire Service, the only child of his parents, a student in the Haifa high school.

Ayas Sarchan, 30, married, of Kfar Marar, is survived by his wife and one child.

Beiber Shadi, 35, of Kfar Jat, was laid to rest in that community's cemetery on Friday.


Yakir Suissa, 26, single, of Dimona, served in the Ramon prison.

Adal Tafesh, 33, married, of Beit Jan, is survied by his wife and two children.

Siyum Tzagi, 31, married, of Netivot, is survived by his wife and three children.

Eran Weisel, 31, married, of Kiryat Bialik, is survived by his wife and a child.

Rami Yisraeli, 33, married, of Be'er Sheva is survived by his wife and two children.

~Day 14~ Rabbi Pozner~ A man of Vision~

 Today's story is of a Rabbi in 1930s Germany who was able to correctly read the times and warn the people ~ Jew and Gentile~ of what was coming. May we all have this gift from G-d and the willingness to follow through. 

From Nazi Germany to Beit Shemesh: The Mansbach Hanukiyah

 by David Lev

Each year before Hanukkah, the Mansbach family drops by the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Museum to pick up the family Hanukiyah (Hanukkah Menorah) – an item rich with history, symbolism, and sentimental value. Because, family member Yehuda Mansbach told Israel National News in an interview, “This Hanukiyah is the only remaining memory of the congregation my Grandfather, Rabbi Dr. Akiva Baruch Pozner, led before escaping Germany.”

View from Rabbi Pozner's window.

The photo attached tells much of that history, says Mansbach, a resident of Beit Shemesh. “In this photo you see the Hanukiyah stationed at a window, with a Nazi flag across the street.” The photo was taken in 1931, says Mansbach, long before the Nazis came to power. But, as it happened, the house of Rabbi Posner, who led the community of Kiel in Germany, was right across the street from the local headquarters of the Nazi Party.

“It was on a Friday afternoon right before Shabbat that this photo was taken,” says Mansbach. “My grandmother realized that this was a historic photo, and she wrote on the back of the photo : ‘Their flag wishes to see the death of Judah, but Judah will always survive, and our light will outlast their flag.'”

As Rabbi of the Kiel community, Rabbi Posner did everything he could to encourage Jews to escape Germany. 

“Already in 1933, he was making many speeches, both to Jews and Germans. To the Germans he warned that the road they were embarking on was not good for Jews or Germans, and to the Jews he warned that something terrible was brewing, and they would do well to leave Germany.” Indeed, Mansbach says, many did leave, and by the time the Nazis came to power, some half of the congregation had already emigrated, mostly to the U.S. and the Land of Israel.

The Hanukiyah made it to Israel as well, and ended up in Yad Vashem. But each year they make sure to “borrow” if for their family Chanukah celebration. “My grandparents understood what was going to happen, and this Hanukiyah is a message to us – and to Jews in the Diaspora today – as well. It tells them to come to the Land of Israel now, before it's too late. No one knows what will be tomorrow.”
(IsraelNationalNews.com)  http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/140986

~ Day 13 ~ Shabbat Shalom

A day full of worry and phone calls to friends to check on their safety. A time of prayer and reflection and listening to the 'still small voice'. Preparation for Shabbat with the potential of guests from the coast.

The view across the valley

As we are finishing our preparations, we can hear a child across the valley from our house getting in one last saxophone practice before Shabbat begins. He is playing all the familiar Hanukkah melodies. The young musician is used to remind us:

"Maoz Tzur Y’shuati Lecha Naeh L’sha-beiach" 

O Mighty Stronghold of my Salvation, to praise You is a delight....

Keeping all in perspective, G-d is the Stronghold of our Salvation and, in spite of all that has and is happening, we will praise Him this Shabbat~ which is our delight.

Shabbat Shalom to all.  We will be back Yom Rishon. (Sunday)