What bothers me is not the fact that he was ‘loose lipped.’ Or any of that. That’s rhetoric.

What bothers me is what he said. And to who he said it. And the fact that he had to say it in the first place.

I know, I do not speak for myself alone when I say: Military life is different. It’s a whole different head set. It’s a culture. Military is military. Period.

I spent most of my adult life in uniform, whether as a reserve officer in the Israeli army, on active duty during the entire Gulf War, or a full-time enlisted officer in the Israeli Prison Service for over thirteen years.

Bottom line is: People in the military and law-enforcement are putting their necks on the line, daily. They are in life-threatening situations. And they are there to defend the people back home. That’s us.

There was one rule we always had in the military—you speak your mind. Staff meetings were daily, every morning. We went around the table, in organized fashion, for turns to report. Each officer had his or her chance to speak his or her opinion. To make his or her case. To ask for whatever he or she needed.

When the meetings were over, it was summed up by the commanding officer. He or she gave their decision for action.

At any given time, we had a chance to object. It could be spirited. If our opinion was overruled, we could write in. We could even bypass our commander, and have our objections seen by our commander’s superiors.

One thing was always clear—you could speak your mind.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal had a lot to say in that now famous interview. There is no need to repeat them, here, they’re all online.

He expressed bitterness. He expressed extreme discomfort with the competence of those ‘running’ the war back home. We’ve all read what he said.

Brushing him aside is a diversion from the substantial questions.

Here are the real questions:

1. Why did Gen. Stanley McChrystal need to say what he said in the first place? This is a man seeing his underlings die for this country. He felt no one back home was listening. What brought a man busy leading a war to have to express these feelings in the first instance?

2. Why did a military man feel that level of being alone that he needed to express himself through a magazine interview? There is supposed to be a chain of command, and an extremely open line of communication. Where was that?!

3. What will change in the modus operandi now that he’s been swept aside? Our soldiers are putting themselves in harms way, to put it mildly, or to put it more succinctly many are dying to keep us safe.

Sweeping this General aside is nice headlines, and makes a nice photo op. But, will any of the causes which brought him to that interview now change?

Our country is at war, one we did not wish for. Our military men and women need to know the above answers. They deserve to know them. And they deserve all this: Now.

I had an Arutz Sheva national radio interview yesterday.

Discussed the absurd incarceration of these religious husbands & moms in Israeli prisons.

A link to this interview will be uploaded shortly.

This week, hundreds of thousands of Orthodox Jewish rioters have been protesting in the streets of Israel. Dozens of them, couples, husbands and their wives, are on their way to incarceration in Israeli prisons.

The catalyst for all this is a recent Israeli Supreme Court’s decision. That highly contested judgement laid out that the segregation in the Emanuel municipality girls’ school, where this whole episode began, is illegal. Ashkenazi parents had been strictly-enforcing a classroom policy of separation—between their own daughters and other female students who were of Sefardi background. The parents attorneys claimed in court it wasn’t an issue of racism, rather one of standards, specifically that the level of religiosity in the Sefardi homes wasn’t up to par with their own.

As too many arguments in the Middle East, this one didn’t blow over, it blew up, into a full-blown and fiery national debate. A vicious battle as old as the modern country itself: Can the secular state claim, justifiably or, in this case, forcibly, any right to interfere with the internal workings of the religious community, or is that the sole domain of the Rabbis?

Now, a few dozen defiant couples will be experiencing a part of Israel, they never imagined existed: The Israeli Prison Service, I.P.S.

Until recently, I worked full time, for over thirteen years as a staff officer, a Major, in the I.P.S. Following, is what they can expect, and what they need to know

All incarceration begins with a judicial decision. We’re past that.

Next, the sentenced parties voluntarily appear at the infamous “Abu Kabir,” a Jerusalem police station, to begin their sentences. (As of this writing, a number of them are evading incarceration. This is strongly not recommended, for when they are finally apprehended, experience shows that the courts will come down heavily on them, if for nothing more than to make a an example of them.)

From Abu Kabir, they will be truck out early the next morning. During transport, the women will be hand- and foot-cuffed and driven to Neve Tirzah women’s prison. The men will be similarly bound—hand and foot—and transported to Nitzan prison. Both are inside the famous Ayalon Prison compound in Ramla. This is where Nazi war criminal Adolph Eichmann was held and ultimately executed by hanging, home for decades of Hertzel Avitan, one of Israel’s most notorious criminals, and it presently holds innumerable Hamas, Hizballah and United Jihad Front murderers. Make no mistake about it: Ayalon prison compound is maximum security.

Passing through one security gate after another, just entering the compound will take upwards of a half an hour,. The compound is a few hundred yard rectangle encompassed by high, two foot thick, concrete walls, topped with concertina wire and armed guard towers.

After driving up to the entrance of Nitzan Prison (Neve Tirzah for the women) they then will be marched into the buildings, again, one security gate after another, their cuffs will be removed, and they will be locked up in holding cells, each containing around thirty “common criminals.”

There will be a deafening over-abundance of extremely disconcerting noises: blasting loudspeakers, cell doors slamming constantly throughout the prison, guards yelling, Middle Eastern music filling the air. The smells will be a heavy aromatic cacophony of cigarette smoke, cooking (inmates cook in their cells), mid-summer Mediterranean perspiration (and other bodily excrements).

At this point, they need to keep their cool. Everybody is busy in prison. The new inmates should not answer the guards back. The harried guards are just doing their job, and if they can help the new arrivals, e.g. bringing some cold water, explaining what’s going on, they will.

Any personal belongings these fresh inmates have brought with them will be inspected, article by article. Money, and any other items forbidden in prison will be bagged, stored and returned upon their release. Their bodies will be frisked.

For the next three hours, each will be interviewed by: a social worker, security officer, and a medical staffer. Each will speak with the new arrivals individually, seated across a small desk in a quiet room, and record all identifying information, any special dietary or psychological needs.

During processing, the local prison chaplain, will be available. He always ensures observant “guests” receive their religious needs, something required by law. This being a high profile case, he will be double careful to make sure these individuals get everything they need.

Following processing, usually within twenty-four hours, they will all be transported to the prison where they’ll sit out their term of sentencing. They will share cells with three to eight other inmates, most of whom will be repeat offenders, and not their first time in jail.

Now, few words to these men and women.

During incarceration, a number of people will be pivotal in your life. Here, I’ll list the major players.

The Cell Block officer, usually a Major, will interview you, privately, in his or her office, which is also located within a Cell Block. He will then assign your cell to you.

The Cell Block security guards work in shifts of twenty-four hours on, forty-eight hours off. Your direct contact during your entire waking day will be with them. They are your liaison to your Cell Block officer. If you have a problem, tell it to him or her.

The other people who will be involved in your life, albeit more peripherally, are these.

The head Inmate Officer, is one step higher up in the hierarchy, and reports directly to the warden on each of your well-beings. A social worker, two to an average Block of eighty inmates, will meet you at least once a week to see if there are any problems s/he can solve.

Finally, the other inmates, who you will be eating, sleeping and showering with. Do not look at them as dangerous opponents. Generally speaking, they have nothing to gain from you (though, be careful), they just want to get through their time.

Regarding all the guards and officers, here is my advice. In Israel, many of these men and women are educated, with at least a B.A. They arrived into positions of power, not because of brawn, but because the Israeli government decided they knew how to deal with people under stress in a professional and caring manner.

Remember, it was not these (I.P.S.) people who got you here. They, too, are not your enemy.

Every staffer you meet will be there for two purposes: One, to enforce the law by keeping inmates, duly tried by courts of law, in a secure and legal manner. Two, to do so in as compassionate, humane and peaceful manner as possible.

These people want the clean conscience, having treated everyone unfortunate enough to have fallen under their jurisdiction with honor and respect—when they go home to their own families at night.

All they wish for you is the same: To return, when it’s all over, with honor and peace to your families. Amen.

I’ve always liked that word. It has just that touch—like sweet and sour sauce. It condemns, but doesn’t insult. It’s got enough punch to chastise, but not enough to paint the chastiser as coarse.

What I truly love about that word, though, is it’s non-demanding. It doesn’t absolutely demand action. Something can be inappropriate, but if you put a small twist on it, it can be disregarded.

An example: Rape is probably the cruelest crime known to mankind, truly a fantastic candidate for capital punishment. By contrast, non-consensual physical contact, e.g. fondling, is too often termed: inappropriate.

What a bunch of crap.

Go ask any recipient of non-consensual physical contact how they feel. These could include women, children of either genre, even men. For such victims the formula: ‘inappropriate’ equals ‘doesn’t demand action’ won’t cut it.

For over a decade, I was a maximum security prison officer. Almost all of my inmates sentenced for child molestation, were re-acting to others the injury done to them. (Victim turns perpetrator syndrome.) My female inmates who, too, were victims of these types of non-consensual activities were all undergoing ongoing psychological treatment.

What’s all this got to do with Helen Thomas? Nothing.

What’s it got to do with the fallout of the Helen Thomas debacle? Everything.

Thank God for the fact that they’ve removed this woman from the public’s eye. The woman who, just a few days ago, was a member of the White House Press Corps, a Hearst Newspaper Columnist, and bureau chief for UPI, presently has none of those positions. She was forced to resign after her infamous remarks.

It went like this. Outside the White House, on May 27, 2010, she was approached by one David Nesenoff. The conversation was being filmed:

Nesenoff: Any comments on Israel? We’re asking everybody today, any comments on Israel?
Thomas: Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.
Nesenoff: Oooh. Any better comments on Israel?
Thomas: Remember, these people are occupied and it’s their land. It’s not German, it’s not Poland …
Nesenoff: So where should they go, what should they do?
Thomas: They go home.
Nesenoff: Where’s the home?
Thomas: Poland. Germany.
Nesenoff: So you’re saying the Jews go back to Poland and Germany?
Thomas: And America and everywhere else. Why push people out of there who have lived there for centuries? See?

Okay, we’ve already noted, there was an uproar. Of course, everyone in the media, and the US needed to comment. Even Mr. Obama got on board. During an NBC’s Today Show, he called those comments: ‘offensive,’ and ‘out of line.’

Within thirty six hours, the justified public outcry forced Ms. Thomas out of its face.

But, what about the fallout? Here’s where the problem is. We all know the idiom: Strike when the iron is hot. But, as time goes on, well, things cool off.

They shouldn’t.

Now, we have Judson Berger reporting on Fox News about groups considering renaming their Helen Thomas’ awards.

Thomas’ alma mater, Wayne State University, will not be renaming its Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in the Media award. Well, that was according to this June 10, online Fox News report.

Today, barely three days later, I did a search for this award, to see what it actually stood for. There was plenty on the web. But, on the Wayne State University site, all this search came up with was a generic: Sorry! The event you are looking for no longer exists. (Hopefully, you will find another way to make her happy.)

No kidding. I guess they have a sense of humor after all, over there in Wayne State.

The Society of Professional Journalists, according to Fox News, has not yet decided what to do with the Helen Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Society’s president, Mr. Kevin Smith, had this to say, “I think we’re going to deliberate it very carefully. I don’t think this is something we’re going to have a discussion on and take a vote and get it done in a matter of an hour.”

Here’s a couple of Rabbi Fishel Jacobs suggestions to ease your deliberations:

Don’t think Helen Thomas’ remarks were inappropriate. They were not.

They were hateful and damaging beyond belief. They insulted the death of six million Jews whose children still walk the face of this earth. They spit in the face of the memory of fourteen of my own wife’s uncles, aunts and grandparents who died in Auschwitz.

Those sinister words wished to strengthen the will of millions of evil people throughout the world who this very moment plan, espouse, yearn and verily attempt with all their souls and might to destroy the six million Jews living in Israel.

Those words insult with the greatest and most direct blow possible the self respect and dignity of those six million Jews, such as myself, who have created a life for ourselves in that great country, Israel.

Had Helen Thomas’ remarks been: ‘Tell the blacks to go the hell back to Africa’—no one, rightfully, would have considered them inappropriate. Thomas’ name would have been wiped off every award given in the US for the past ninety years.

This will be the last of three articles on this subject, posted to this blog. This will be enough for me.

To write more—that action—for me would be inappropriate.

For others, who have not yet taken action, it would not be.

Helen Thomas has been, at least temporarily, removed from the public arena.

But, is this latest removal from her Hearst Papers post and stripped of her White House access enough?

I do not think so. The audacity of her attitude, and the quick public outcry are, indeed, encouraging.

But they raise even more serious questions. Central to which is: Where was the outcry until now?

In the case of this woman, she is almost 90, and hasn’t begun speaking barely this week.

In the case of all the other Helen Thomases, spewing those words, in the world, where is the outcry?

Political correctness  has, thankfully, permeated our society. The “N” word can no longer be spoken, unless between blacks. The “S” word, referring to a Spanish speaker, would never be uttered. We have learned to respect people of different sexual orientations. In some spheres, we are cautioned not to mention radical Islam, because anything “radical” does not have anything to do with the “real” Islam. In courts of law, judges refer to the most horrific serial murderers before sentencing, as “sir,” or “Mr.”

We have eradicated any judgemental lexicon from all public and private communication.

So, how did Helen Thomas, and those of her persuasion, get away with such vehemence for almost ninety years?

The answer is quite simple.

Political correctness isn’t a blanket coverage. It only reaches as far as those who demand it, usually vigorously, or violently. It is not for the meek.

It does not apply for Israel. It certainly does not apply to the West Bank settlers. And, some may believe, it doesn’t always apply for Jews.

“Israeli aggression”, is self understood. It’s become a phrase.

But, for those of us Americans living there—who actually know intimately the people and events involved—we don’t understand where this phrase gets its legitimacy.

In the media, the term Settler has become synonymous with aggression, occupation. This too goes uncontested. It’s part of the lexicon.

However, those of us living here know these people personally. The great majority are the most benevolent people in the world, and mean no harm to even their attackers. They just want to be left in peace.

The answer is clear. In a world where showing a hand drawn picture of Muhammad will draw death threats. Where angry gays will storm their legislature to demand equal rights. Where everyone who demand them, gets rights, they will get justice.

Granted, we Jews shy from protest, we feel more comfortable in the world of literature, academics, science. Fine. The world expects us to be civil, and we all should be.

The proper conclusion to Helen Thomas’ “career” is proof that good, justice, and intelligence, can indeed prevail. Thank G-d for this wonderful part of our American society.
Free article submission

A caucasian reporter, “What do you say about the black problem in America?”

James Conroy, a decorated news reporter and member of the White House Press Corps, “They should get the hell out of America.”

Reporter, uncomfortable laughter, “… Any better comments?”

Conroy, “They don’t belong here. They belong in Africa.”

Is that nerve?! Imagine a news-reporter in his eighties, who has authored books, covered presidential campaigns, works for ostensibly respectable media outlets, in broad daylight, in front of a running camera—calmly fielding such questions so deftly?

Is this total insensitivity? Or is he simply a disgusting (to me) racist, miserably left over from a crass, less politically correct generation of bigots. One thing is clear to me: This won’t go unnoticed. I am one hundred percent sure that all my fellow Jewish liberals will make sure Conroy is rightly stripped of any capacity to report unbiased news.

Okay. There really is no Conroy. He’s fictitious. And did not say any of the above.

But, there is a Helen Thomas. She’s on the White House Press Corps and a Hearst Newspapers Columnist. And following is, verbatim, her taped interview, outside the White House, May 27, 2010.

A Jewish Reporter: “Any comments on Israel?”

Thomas, “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.”

Reporter, “Woo….,“ uncomfortable laughter, meekly, “… any better comments?”

Thomas laughs, collects her thoughts, thoughtfully looks into the camera, “Remember, these people (Arabs) are occupied. It’s their land. It’s not Germany. It’s not Poland.”

Reporter, “So, where should they go? What should they do?”

Thomas, “They’d go home.”

Reporter, “Where’s the home?”

Thomas, “Germany and Poland.”

Reporter, “So, the Jews should go back to Germany and Poland?”

Thomas, “Yes.”

Back to the author: Let’s be clear on this: I am backing the uprising of calls calling for this lady’s expulsion from the public arena.

Allow me to explain why.

I wondered how anyone in this day and age of political correctness could say such things—even more, into a camera! Here were my pondering.

Maybe Thomas is simply ignorant of some basic facts. Like, it’s not our home.

Maybe she didn’t know that our 1,000 years of sovereign rule in Israel was the most glorious period in our history. Beginning in the year 956 BCE, with King Solomon, it lasted until the year 70 AD, when the Romans destroyed our Temple and exiled us.

(Israel has been sacred to the Jews since Biblical times, when it was promised to the patriarch Abraham, 1948 BCE.)

But, during the second and third centuries our remaining and very populated centers of learning in Tiberias and Jerusalem produced the Talmud. Indeed, over the centuries, we’ve always kept a strong and vibrant presence there, to the degree allowed by the rulers.

Tel Aviv did not start in 1948. It was established, next to Arab Yaffa, in 1903.

But, Thomas couldn’t have missed those fact. She’s a decorated author.

I mused, further, maybe she thought it was kind of a funny thing.

You know, she didn’t really think about the ramifications of the message. The reporter was Jewish, too. But he was filming it, ostensibly, to air it.

So, maybe it was a joke. Telling six million Jews living in Israel they should go back to Germany and Poland, where six million of their fathers, mothers and sisters were just slaughtered. Kind of like: Ha, ha, ha. Get it? Six million, six million.

I asked a couple of my first generation holocaust survivor friends if they got the joke. Like my wife who lost 13 uncles and cousins. I didn’t see her laughing.

I don’t know, could Thomas’ apparent blind hatred be connected to the fact that both her parents were born in Lebanon?

It’s weird. I mean, if you’d said what Thomas said about any other group, they’d make sure of one thing: Her immediate expulsion from any public position. They’d argue she is fringe, racist, and demented.

It’s all enough to make you sick.

The international condemnations began—as usual—even before the event finished.

A bunch of boats fill themselves up with all kinds of goodies—whose contents will shortly be discovered to be primarily supplies for Hamas—for the saints and wonderful citizens of Gaza. It take a few weeks. All kinds of publicity seeking folks: European MP types, a couple of authors, some thugs, others who can’t hold down a job, and G-d only knows who else, get on board.

Now, these people didn’t get lost on a fishing trip. They knew where they were going, and for what. They yearned to make Israel look bad.

On every step of their media drenched way, they announced their intentions to ignore the security blockade—come hell of high water. We’re gonna show the world that we don’t acknowledge an Israeli blockade. In fact, we don’t even acknowledge it’s a country. After all, everyone calls it a State.

And, with every stop, with every wave, the Israelis explain to them, to the world, on the net, on radio, in the papers:

Hey! There’s a blockade, guys. We have a government. We have six million people who vote. This ain’t Lebanon, or Iran, or one of those places. We don’t force our wives to cover their faces. We don’t kill gay couples. We have freedom of the press.

We have a parliament. An army. And there’s a legal, democratic blockade on Gaza– for national security reasons.

But, this bunch of philosophers keep sailing. The Israelis land on the ships—peacefully. And, the minute they do, hundreds of “peace” demonstrators attack the—with axes, knives and handguns.

But the Israeli army came ready, this time: Laugh’s on you guys: We brought video cameras. We shot the whole thing.

And barely did the world’s condemnations begin, and Israel was already showing it was all one big defense on their part. The Israelis were defending themselves.

And there are now a dozen less homicidal humanitarians.

All because of this one incorrect notion that Israel is only a State. It’s not a country with laws. And a blockade is not a blockade.

But, there’s one way to fix that notion. To prove it really is a country, like America.

And here are the steps:

One: Every one of the blockade busters must be tried in a court of law. They must be sentenced appropriately.

Two. When this is done, if their countries of origin wants them, they need to make extradition requests. Like for any criminal.

Three. These countries of origin should be made to pay for all of the expenses of these trials, of the expenses to the Israeli army and to the families of the hurt soldiers.

Four. Every one of these countries must make sure this type of atrocity never happens by their citizens again, certainly not under their jurisdiction.

A couple of boats full of “peace” activists and laden with all kinds of goodies for the very needy people of Gaza decides that Israel — as in the country, and yes, contrary to what some people seem to like ignoring, it is a country, or why am I paying so many taxes? — really can’t secure its borders by having blockades.

Good morning world. Countries protect its law-abiding citizens.

When I drove over the US/Canadian border last month, I was stopped on both sides: “Where are you from? Where are you going? What are you carrying?”

Personally, as an ex-law enforcement agent, I have only great respect for other law-enforcement people. I smiled at these border officers, I also smile at the airport security guys in Newark and JFK, and I always say, “Thank you for doing your job. Thank you for protecting me and my family from the bad guys.”

I’m weird that way. I actually think there are good guys and bad guys. There’s right and wrong in this world.

As an American living in Israel, I am extremely happy Israel forcibly stopped those boats. It was the right thing, and only thing, to do.

For weeks these boats had been warned not to enter a legal blockade, backed by its democratically elected government, enforced for national security by the country of Israel. (No one really thinks Israel is just bored, has nothing better to do with their time, and comes up with these ways of keeping our people busy, do they?) I know, people like to think of Israel as some sort of State, but it is a country, or why am I paying… okay, you heard that before.

The perpetrators should get the publicity they wanted. They should all be tried in courts of law. Simple. They are criminals. The world will see in a few days after Israel opens their cargo boxes and discovers all the weapons, come on, we’ve been through this before.

After trial, these people should be sentenced. If their countries want them, let them make formal extradition requests, according to Israel’s extradition treaties. That’s how it’s done.

Finally, if there’s anything not meant for war on those boats, Israel should distribute it to orphans and needy in their country. They should not reward criminals.

Finally, the IDF soldiers should be thanked. We all thank you.

Thanks for doing your job. Thank you for protecting me and my family from the bad guys.

As dedicated readers know, it’s a story-told documentation of my thirteen years working inside the Israel Prison Service. I was the only American bon Major, and served as a prison chaplain and hand to hand combat teacher for the staff.

Over the years, we’ve heard of countless Readers’ Groups worldwide using Israel Behind Bars as a basis of their group meetings. We’ve heard from groups in California, Israel, New York, and England. In fact, we’re aware of a couple of universities who’ve used it in their curriculum.

The most popular chapters, we’ve heard of, have been, in this order:

1. Adolph Eichmann: The story of Hitler’s right hand henchman, who was hung to death in my prison.

2. Boris: The story of a Russian inmate I met in my prison, who told us of escaping Russian prisons and inmates taking a dead guard along, for food.

3. Nitzan: The story of Israel’s most notorious criminal, how he escaped and then murdered my warden.

Even while writing the book, I was aware that it raised may burning questions about life in Israel, life in prison and just life.

I’ve repeated this often, but the Israelis deal too benevolently with convicted Islamic inmates in their prisons. TV in each room, Red Cross supplied sports equipment, family visitation rights? What are they thinking?

Besides Adolph Eichmann, Israel has never executed another inmate, unlight the U.S. Is that good?

What about the women I tended and who could not get divorces from their dead beat husbands. Was it right for me to fight (successfully) to get these guys locked up? Or did that cause more damage to their own families than good?

We love hearing about the book being used in Readers’ Discussion Groups.

What we’re going to do is this: The next five Readers’ Discussion Groups who order books on Amazon, and notify me of their discussion date will get an autographed copy of the book from me.

Send your emails directly to me: RabbiJacobs@gmail.com