Author	Topic:   The Israel Society - its achievements, purpose and future
Kraz	posted 1/20/04 7:16 PM       Damn you Mr. Goldwater! (With all due respect). It was a cunning well thought and and executed trick wasn't it? I've been sitting here for 2 hours and 23 minutes pondering the said Subject, and it was only now that I realised I had been had. The Israel Society serves no purpose other than to rally neanderthol-like Hasmonean pupils into doing as little work as possible on Yom Ha'Atzmo'os (please note Ashkenaz pronunciation) be that past, present or future. Though this may seem an honourable purpose, it seems rather irresponsible for a school society. In conclusion, long may The Hasmonean Israel Society continue to serve us and the community; long live neanderthols (obviously this isn't techinically true); and rock on b's and g's p.s. Like the new Israel Society discount cards with Tehillim. Most impressive http://www.hardcorejosephlavi.com
Mr. Goldwater	posted 1/21/04 0:09 AM       Mr. - "Kraz" - Krasner, I appreciate your sentiments, and thank you for spelling out my intentions (subconscious or otherwise) in opening the original thread entitled "The Israel Society etc.". (My real intention was, in actual fact, that no-one would reply, and the box next to the statement would remain a blank "0" for evermore, standing as a sad testament to the said "Society"'s impotence and irrlelevance.) As it is, the replies now stands at 5, and counting. May I just ask - why on earth have you opened a new thread with exactly the same title? (albeit less well punctuated than mine). Surely one forum was more than enough for this sparse topic to be discussed? I therefore appeal to the honourable Moderator to close this thread immediately, moving all posts in it to the original forum. Yours et cetera, Mr. Goldwater. http://www.parliamentlive.tv Missed PMQs? Want to watch that crucial debate one more time? Then this is the site for you!
Doniel Levy - Head of The Hasmonean Boys Israel Society	posted 1/22/04 6:51 PM     I would like to take this opportunity (prompted by two of my friends) to once and for all set things straight and clear. The right honourable "Kraz" has set some statements, and I wish to explain some things and clear up a few general misconceptions & misunderstandings concerning The Israel Society's "achievements, purpose and future". Few people in the school know the actual purpose and reason for the existence of the Israel Society. Unsurprisingly, therefore, there is much confusion as to the actual role that the Israel Society plays. (I would at this point like to assure all that the above suggestion that "The Israel Society serves no purpose other than...on Yom Ha'Atzmo'os" (ses) is somewhat inaccurate to say the least. While delivering Yom Ha'atzmaut into the hands of the students as a day of National Celebration, in undoubtedly a wholly noble act, (something that I would like to see the Tzedoko Department try to pull off) this is NOT the entire purpose of its creation.) To quote directly from the Constitutional Declaration of the Israel Society: “1. The Israel Society is apolitical 2. The Israel Society exists in the Hasmonean School framework in order to promote and informally educate pupils of Hasmonean on issues concerning Israel (be it the Land, Situation or Public Relations.)” At this point may I suggest a fundamental flaw in people’s thinking: Why is it that people assume that we should have as many events as the Tzedoko Department? People seem to be under the impression that the Tzedoko Department and the Israel Society (to be called the TD and the IS for space-saving purposes) are in a hot competition for events to be churned out and that the IS fails every year hands down. This could not be further from the truth!!! The TD and the IS serve very, very different purposes! They exist for different reasons, and therefore have different numbers of events. [I would like to add here that the TD has never had so many events as this year – the 5-a-side tournament was about as much contribution the TD ever had to the school! This year, however, due to the unique cast of Gidi, Shimon, Yisroel and others (sorry boys), the TD has been run properly and to the maximum amplification (“if u know what I mean”). This is consistent with Shimon and Yisroel’s 2OB library which is solely responsible for this very website! They were asked simply to be librarians, as so many had done before them – but no! they had to go and make 3 CD’s about it! (Boruch HaShem, however, their loud efforts have been channelled into tzedoko making which is actually a mitzva. Thank G-d!] As I was saying, they have different number of events due to their nature, as will be explained (yes there’s still more to come! (I’m incidentally writing the essay entitled "The History of the TD and the IS – conflict and confusion for nothing?" as I speak, so its all ok!)) Linked to this is my addressing of the popular question of the difference in "surnames" of the two organisations: why is one called the Tzedoko DEPARTMENT whilst the other is called the Israel SOCIETY? The answer is simple and is linked to everything I have thus far said (ah! Linkages! You can tell I do 4 essay subjects!): The tzedoko department is so called since everyone needs to give tzedoko! It is a chiyuv on every single Jew! Thus it is a ‘department’ as it is inherently required as part of a school which embodies Torah and Torah values. It must be fundamentally engrained in the school system. The Israel Society, on the other hand, is just that! It is a society (which though it boasts 200 members which is close to half the school!) is still just a society and as such is only for those who believe in its cherished values (although some, including the Rambam, would agree it is more of a chiyuv to live in Israel than to give tzedoko!) [For more information on the Zionist/anti-Zionist agenda, please come to Rabbi Lehrer’s shiur which will be given toward the end of this term] Why should the school have a "department for Israel"? It doesn’t make sense! Especially seeing as the man who founded the school was allegedly anti the Zionists (NB: note the "anti the Zionists" and not ‘anti-zionist’ and also NB "allegedly" (Mr Baddiel’s lessons, year 7-9) please also note that the reasons given for his not liking the Zionists are good but that the situation has changed now. [For more info. please see a boki b’Mr Baddiel quotes such as Robby (or for an unbiased conversation, speak to me (oooo))]) The situation, as I have said, has changed, in more ways than one, and the rulers of the school now are seemingly drifting far towards the other end of the political spectrum – I would cast your mind to such greatness of authority as Rabbi Meyer, Rabbi Radomsky, Dr Finkelstein, (and Gidi) who together run the school! These are all people who actively advocate and support “Zionism” and the Israeli cause. [As has been mentioned, please come to Rabbi Lehrer’s shiur – don’t be an ignoramus forever!] (Having successfully argued the reasons for the naming of these two organisations within the school, I am not actually so sure of the origin of these names, and it might just be that someone decided to call the Tzedoko Department that because of personal taste of names! As it happens, the Israel Society is in fact older than the Tzedoko Deparmtment, which chronologically came years after the formation of the Israel Society!) To continue along the differences between these two organisations, who said that the IS needs to be as active as the TD? collecting for tzedoko is continual! Israel Society has "events" to raise public awareness in the school on issues concerning Israel. We do not continually collect for charity! [See below for more info. on What We Do and also Why We Don’t/Can’t Do More (I apologise for not having given actual subheadings.)] Addressing the point made by Moish that the Israel Society "does nothing" I would like to point out that this is factually incorrect: I would like to remind all that the Israel Society has NOT "done nothing", and that we do have an active and updated board that can be read to your leisure whenever you are by the hall (or when the TD chuck you heartlessly out of their room). The articles and information on there have been handpicked specifically for the task of quickly and painlessly "informally educating" you, the students of Hasmo, on events and atrocities (to Jews and to Israel) that you probably didn’t know about, and will continue in your ignorant state of Media bias and lies if you do not take a minute the read some of the stuff on the board! We have also distributed beautiful Membership Cards with interlinear tehillim of those o-so-important prayers we say so often for our brethren in Israel and indeed all around the world! This was sold for an unprecedented price of 99p, and even the small amount of profit made has gone to Magen Dovid Adom! (Which you are undoubtedly does phenomenal work for all Jews all over Israel. Whenever there is a tragedy and a mad member of umolek blows themselves up and kills countless innocent civilians, they are there.) We have also bought and ordered a brilliant and important film about "a side of the Middle East story which most people are unaware of due to a lack of exposure by traditional media outlets." "50, 000 attendees to date" have seen this film, and soon Hasmo boys will be able to add themselves to that list of Jews across the globe. (Unfortunately, due to it being distributed from America we have not yet received it. We will inform you when we have.) We have also set up a meeting for a speech by Immediate Response which will take place in due course and you will be informed of shortly. (Incidentally, this was arranged for the end of last term, but we were refused permission by the Tzedoko Department to have the speaker as they moaned that we could not have a speaker on the same day as their "Chanukka Fair" or whatever they called it. The speaker apologised that he was unable to reschedule for that week on such short notice, and this is the first opportunity that the speaker has to speak. As I have mentioned, notices will be up shortly with details.) In addition, we have set up a scheme of tehillim for Israel and Jews around the World (which is known as the “Tehillim Campaign” (with a cool logo!)) which is being announced as soon as the school all come back ((Year 11 and 13) as it will mainly include years 10, 11, 12 and 13, and if half of these aren’t here it is pointless beginning.) As has been mentioned, Rabbi Lehrer will be giving a shiur (Be’ezrat HaShem) toward the end of this term about the whole Zionist/anti-zionist agenda, and its sources in Torah and works of the rambam etc. There is a general great lack of misunderstanding and confusion in this particular area of halacha and hashkofo, and Rabbi Lehrer will be clarifying these in his shiur. The shiur will largely be on Uliyah – the halachic implications and obligations (if any – please come for the answer!) and the reasons of the Rabbonim for their Zionist/anti-zionist approach (including yishuv ho’oretz and related topics) with ma’arei mekomos for each! Finally, there will be a series of ‘lunch-time chats’ (aka ‘fun and informal lessons’) starting very soon, with an older boy (previous hasmo-boy – now university student) about various topics about Israel, in particular the facts and stats of the creation of the State, the wars, the offers, the treaties, and the current conflict. This is most important as every Jewish boy should know the exact facts about Israel (regardless of his political standpoint) so that he can lead an educated argument/knowledgeably argue a point with either English/Arab yob who’s shouting ‘facts’ at his face about the illegitimacy of Israel as a nation/the illegal occupation of Israel or a fellow Hasmo boy who’s zionist/‘anti-zionist’ – everyone should know what’s happened and what’s happening, and what others have to say which is true/not true about Israel. I hope that is enough to fulfil your desire and requests for ‘more to be done’ by the Israel Society! (Other events and plans are underway but are not available for public knowledge due to their unfinished state.) On a final note, I just want to say that the order to "informally educate" is an extremely difficult task to carry out. People do not want to give up their lunchbreaks. (we have not been given the luxury of ability to remove boys from lessons as the TD have been given – we have to work within the strict school framework. We therefore have no other time in the day in which to do anything but lunchbreak.) Few people, except mature students, enjoy coming to a speaker (unless there is something in it for them or their stomachs – rest assured! we have food ordered for every event and speaker!) and not that many people will gladly give up two or three of their breaks to watch a video! People KNOW when they are being educated – informally or not! – and they don’t like it! I therefore ask that if anyone has any suggestions as to what we can do besides speakers and videos (and obviously the events we have planned as described above) that they enter them below! (NB we are not allowed to collect money for tzedoko or to ask for very much money for anything – including to raise anything). Thank you for reading this long manifesto, and please feel free to print it out and read it in your next boring Chemistry/History/RS/Geography/Physics/Psychology/Economics/Biology/Politics/English lesson! Thank you again (and please think about what I’ve said before you rush into a response of abuse and/or nonsense!) Doniel Levy Head of the Hasmonean Boys Israel Society
Aryeh Grossman - Joint Vice Chairman of the Hasmonean High School (Boys) Israel Society	posted 1/25/04 5:27 PM       I find it most pleasing that no one has been able to respond. It is a clear sign to us, the executive of the Israel Society, that since no one can think of anything else we should be doing, we are obviously doing everything we can. Either that or no one can be bothered to read all the way down to the bottom of Doniels drosha http://www.hasmofm.co.uk