Teitelbaum, Ben-Ari, Yom HaShoah

R. Moshe Teitelbaum, rebbe of Satmar, passed away today (I, II) after leading Satmar for about 26 years. Let's hope the succession fight between his children, Aaron and Zalmen, doesn't spiral further out of control. If it can.

Cross-Currents has a guest post, with interesting comments, on the boro park riots a couple of weeks back. I just got to it, but do read it if you haven't (link).

Uri Ben-Ari, a retired Brigadier General in the IDF, has a new book out, "Betabat Hahenek" [In a Stranglehold]. Ha'aretz discusses the book here. The last few paragraphs are really interesting:

Ben-Ari believes that the world has not internalized the lessons of the Holocaust, "Terrible things still happen in the world and a new Holocaust can emerge now even in Europe and not only against the Jews." He is also concerned by the threats of Iran and Islamic extremists and believes that the Palestinians will never agree to recognize the state of Israel.

About a year ago, Ben-Ari published an article in Haaretz calling for Israel to respond to Qassam missile attacks by bombing Palestinian cities and villages in the Gaza Strip. Does he still think this is an appropriate solution? "I believe in what all the major figures in our country believed for years: If in our own streets, citizens cannot live in peace and quiet, our enemies will have similar living conditions. That was the motto of every proud Jew. That is how every normal people behaves."

Including direct attacks against a civilian population?

"Yes. Only the Palestinian people - no one else - can stop the terror. Only if that people suffers."

Of course, today is Yom HaShoah, where we remember the deaths of six million Jews killed by the Nazis in World War II. Lots more needs to be said and done on that.

Blogging will continue to be light through the middle of May.