Article forwarded to me by my father via Israelert
[A TIME TO SPEAK Vol. IV:8 (No. 44) August 2004 - Av-Elul 5764]
Israelert.com source: A Time To Speak
“I have set before you life and death . . Therefore, choose life, that both you and your seed may live.” -Deuteronomy 30:8
“L’Haim [To Life]” – the Hebrew toast for all occasions
The value of life has been a sustained and sustaining theme of the
Hebrew-Israelite-Jewish character since Abraham tried to save lives even in
Sodom and Gomorrah. The ineradicable determination both to live and to
preserve life has been one of the forces that enables his offspring to
survive and bounce back from every calamity and every kind of torment.
In 1945, the Jewish people had lost one-third of their men, women, and
children, victims of a Holocaust perpetrated with almost worldwide
complaisance and some complicity. Only three years later, the State of
Israel was restored in its ancient homeland and triumphed over all attempts
to annihilate it, perpetrated with almost worldwide complaisance and some
complicity.
The determination to Choose Life led to the ingathering of hundreds of
thousands of weary and destitute survivors of the hell-fires of Europe, and
more hundreds of thousands of Jews escaping from centuries-long dhimmitude
in Arab-ruled lands or spiritual suffocation behind the Iron Curtain of
Communist Eastern Europe. They were absorbed and integrated into a vibrant
society, flourishing on a tiny strip of besieged land with few natural
resources.
While Israel copes with multitudinous domestic and economic problems,
chronic military and diplomatic assaults, terrorism, boycotts, and
calumnies, it also takes up the traditional Jewish duty of Tikkun Olam
[Repair of the World]. In fulfillment of this responsibility, it engages in
humanitarian endeavors around the world. One of the smallest nations on
earth, with one-thousandth (1/1000 or 0.0001%) of the world’s population,
it strives to do its fair share.
RESCUE AND RELIEF
“He who saves one life, it is as though he saved the world.” – Talmud
Israel has been forced by its own experience to develop the most expert
techniques for rescue missions and treatment of mass casualties. When
disaster strikes elsewhere, it brings this experience to the succor of the
victims. To that end, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has a special
Emergency Aid Unit.
Among the examples of Israeli rescue and relief teams in action:
- Earthquake in Soviet Armenia, 1988: IDF Search and Rescue Team, and an
IDF/Magen David Adom Medical Team. (The Soviet government demanded that the
Israel cover its Shield of David emblems on supplies and the airplanes that
delivered them. This attempt to keep the residents from knowing the source
of the help was not effective. When local Jews later emigrated to Israel,
their neighbors sent the message “Tell them we say thank you.” - Civil war in Rwanda, 1994: Complete 120-bed field hospital with staff of
80. and 65 tons of medical supplies for Rwandan refugees in the Congo. (On
average, it takes about two weeks for a donor government to assemble,
transport and set up a field hospital. Israel did it in two days.) - Terrorist bombing in Nairobi, Kenya, 1998: IDF Search and Rescue Team.
(The target was the U.S. Embassy, but it was buildings adjacent to it that
were destroyed or badly damaged, and Kenyans who were killed or trapped in
them.) - Balkan war, 1999: Complete field hospital with staff for Kosovo refugees
in Macedonia. - Earthquake in Turkey, 1999: IDF 250-strong Search and Rescue Team, a
120-bed field hospital, a village that sheltered 3,000 people, and 100 tons
of relief supplies. - Earthquake in India, 2001: Search and Rescue Team and field hospital.
Other projects include
- Medical teams to Africa perform opthamological surgery where it is not
otherwise available - A medical team to famine-stricken Ethiopia. (It included an Israeli
nurse
who was born in Ethiopia and had made the long hard trek of Ethiopian Jews
to Israel.) - Regular tours of China by Israeli surgeons of the "Save A Child’s Heart"
project, performing pediatric cardiac surgery and conducting training
courses for Chinese medical personnel.
There have also been deliveries of tons of medical equipment and emergency
supplies to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
Comment: Many of the nations who have received Israeli search and rescue work,
medical care, and donations have now signed the Declaration of Unaligned
Nations that restricts entry of Israelis according to the part of the Land
of Israel in which they dwell. It seems that in future the signatory
nations will reject rescue or medical crews that include personnel or dogs
from the wrong towns.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, however, will not have to bother with this
discrimination. After its very destructive earthquake of 2003, it made an
official announcement that it "accepts all kinds of humanitarian aid from
all countries with the exception of the Zionist regime".
In 1997, 66 Vietnamese 30 men, 16 women, 20 children resolved to
escape from the Communist regime by setting out to sea in an old, small
fishing boat. The motor of the boat broke down, and for four days they were
adrift in the South China Sea without shelter, food or water.
During those days, ships of Norway, Germany, Japan and Panama passed close
enough to see their plight but would not help them not even to give them
water. The refugees then considered whether it would be better to scuttle
the boat rather than die slowly of thirst and exhaustion. But then the
Israeli cargo freighter "Yuvali" came by, and took all of them on board.
For two weeks, the owners of the ship tried to find a haven for these
passengers, but each country that was approached – including the United
States – refused to take them.
So, Prime Minister Menahem Begin extended and they accepted an invitation
to come and settle in Israel, where they were later joined by several hundred
more Vietnamese who found new homes and new lives.
In the 12th century, Rabbi Moses ben-Maimon [Maimonides] taught that the
highest form of assistance to others it to help them become independent and
not need assistance. This principle is reflected in the programs of MASHAV
[Hebrew acronym for Center for International Cooperation], founded in 1958
in the wake of Golda Meir’s bonding with the developing nations of Africa.
MASHAV has centers around Israel for international conferences, seminars
and
training courses in such fields as
- Community development
- Economic development and employment
- Irrigation and agriculture
- Education
- Medicine and health care
- Integration of immigrants and refugees
- Organizing systems for treating mass trauma
Through such programs, Israel shares the experience gained in its own rapid
development and absorption of immigrants. It also shares the skills it had
to learn to cope with disasters that cause mass casualties and mass trauma.
Each year, some 4,000 men and women come from Africa, Asia, Europe, and
Latin America to attend these meetings, and go home with ideas and
techniques to benefit their own countries.
Some of Israel’s achievements by their very nature contribute to well being
and a rising standard of living:
AGRICULTURE
Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6
The first Zionist pioneers to return to the Land of Milk and Honey found it
a virtual wasteland, its soil shriveled by centuries of neglect and
abandonment. They began to restore its ancient fertility by carrying away
stones, draining swamps, and contriving primitive irrigation. These early
efforts have grown into large-scale research and innovations, and now there
are scores of research centers in all parts of the country to study
climate, soil, environment, and all forms of agriculture and animal
husbandry.
The fruits of these labors are abundant, and sometimes literally delectable
citrus, melons and other fruits, tomatoes, vegetables, grains, dairy
products, honey, juices, wines, and flowers.
Much of the land is arid or semi-arid, and this problem has inspired
development of special techniques for producing crops in regions short of
rain and sources of water. The achievements are spread to other countries
through visits by Israeli experts and through conferences and seminars held
in Israel.
MEDICINE
At least since the Middle Ages, Jews have been prominent in the science of
medicine. So much so, that rulers of both Christian and Muslim countries,
that otherwise enforced anti-Jewish laws, sought the skills of Jewish
physicians.
Among recent advances in Israeli medical research:
- A minute device for early detection of cancerous and pre-cancerous cells
treatment of cancer through the patient’s own immune system cells - A device for patients with heart problems to monitor their condition at
home - A vaccine to prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
- Music as therapy for high blood pressure
- Immunity to food allergies treatment of infertility
- Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
- Biomolecular computers that monitor the patient’s condition and automatically administer medication.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
For enterprises in scientific research and advanced technology, the primary
resource is creative intellect. This makes them especially appropriate
fields for a nation that has the world’s highest proportion of population
with advanced education.
It is also a nation that, in proportion to population, ranks first in the
world in production and publication of scientific research papers. It is
currently a la mode in Europe for editors of professional journals to
refuse to read much less publish anything written in Israel. This ploy is
meant to injure Israel, but Israel already has the knowledge set forth in
those papers, and it is likely that they will be published elsewhere. The
deprivation and the damage is to Europe’s own scientists, physicians, and
technicians who depend on such journals to keep abreast of new research and
developments in their fields.
The EU [European Union branch of Eurabia] may have some inkling that it did
not do itself a favor when it broke off scientific cooperation with Israel
in 2000, to demonstrate its sympathy for the PLO. It has now resumed some
cooperation, particularly in the field of agriculture in the Middle East.
It even deigns to let Israel pay some of the expenses.
Techniques and inventions created in Israel are now in use almost
worldwide. Among them
- Advances in solar energy and water desalination
- Nanotechnology
- High-speed computer technology including a computer that produces its own source of energy
- Communications technology
Comment:
Do the British and European intellectuals who boycott everything Israeli
use cell-phones? Do they know that the cell-phone was invented in Israel? Do
they use the Instant Message e-mail program? Do they know that it was
invented in Israel?
The need to counter murderous terrorism gives impetus to inventions that
will help to protect and save lives. To that end, Israel has developed
devices to detect and deflect threats to aircraft, and devices that can
give views around corners and through walls. The latter also has value in
rescue operations, to find victims of earthquakes and other disasters.
As the fear of terrorism spreads to nations that heretofore felt secure,
there is increasing demand for Israeli techniques and experts who know how
to use them. For the Olympic Games of 2004 in Athens, the Olympic officials
and the Greek government, who usually go out of their way to snub Israel,
requested its participation in security. The government of Japan has
requested consultation with Israel on protection of the Imperial Family.
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat.If he is thirsty, give him
water to drink. Proverbs 25:21
In the last days of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Egyptian force that set
out to conquer Israel ended up trapped in the Sinai Desert, surrounded by
the IDF, cut off from either retreat or supplies.When the Israeli soldiers
realized that the Egyptian soldiers were out of water, they ran up to the
thin line between them and the foe, and tossed their own water canteens to
the parched Egyptians.