In the Outskirts of Haifa

THE CARMEL FIRE: some observations

On the very first Candle of Chanukah 5711, the festival of light, celebrating the Hashmonaim triumph over the Syrian Greeks in 139 BCE, the triumph of light over darkness, purity over adulteration, of spirituality over materiality, we read about Greece sending tiny Eretz Yisrael aid to fight the Carmel Fire.

More than 21 centuries later, after the first Chanukah, the Greek Government sends a plane, the first of five which are expected from the country, to bring much needed fire retardant supplies and additional firefighting forces, to join Israeli fire crews battling the uncontrolled Carmel forest fire.

THE FIRST OF 23 INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT

According to Army Radio, in addition to the four Greek aircraft, four more aircraft are expected to arrive from France, three from Britain, two from Spain, two from Russia, two from Turkey, two from Cypress, two from Bulgaria, one from Croatia and one from Azerbaijan.

AND THE RAIN CAME ON THE FIFTH CANDLE

The world needs a strong Israel. They don't want to admit it. So what happens, a single person releases miles and miles of secret documents onto the Internet for the entire world to witness about each other. Wikileaks is uncovering those nations and countries that are quivering from the terrorist threats running wild over the globe. In another city on the globe, a strong brave man takes on the defense of his country, singlehandedly, and wins in court against the libel of those who would destroy, and goes on to defend his people.

We are witnessing footsteps of the Geula, and we Jews are awaiting the one single man, Moshiach, who will usher in the full Geula that we have been waiting, for these thousands of years.

A FIRE IN THE CARMEL

Rabbi Lazer Brody brings an amazing perspective: The following Midrash (Shir Hashirim 2:5, elaborates on the passage, K'shoshana bane ha chuchim): Right before Moshiach comes, Hashem will burn the outskirts of Haifa -

UPDATE on America in Downspiral

**In response to a job-killing tax hike on small businesses - and this is the backbone of the American family and economy:

“The last thing our economy needs right now is a massive tax hike on families and small businesses -- and that’s what the House Democratic leaders’ plan would mean. We will oppose their job-killing tax hike and do everything we can to stop it. Republicans made a pledge to America to permanently stop all of the tax hikes scheduled for January 1st, and that’s what we’re going to fight for. Extending all of the current tax rates, and making them permanent, will reduce the uncertainty in our economy and help small businesses create jobs again." John Boehner, GOP Leader

**No end in sight to U.S. economic crisis as 'scariest jobs chart ever' shows post-recession unemployment is at its worst since World War Two Drudge

REMEMBER THE SNOWSTORM THAT SWEPT ACROSS THE US AND PARALYZED WASHINGTON DC last winter?

**Here comes another one, so says Accuweather.

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and a little help from Chabad