Not My Facebook

Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured by Palestinian militants on June 25, 2006, and is still being held hostage by Hamas. On this second anniversary of his abduction, Jewish Facebook members around the world have shown their support by changing their Facebook profile photo to a widely circulated image of Gilad, provided by his family.

Sexagenarian

Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. Yom Ha'atzmaut is the national Israel independence day, commemorating the declaration of independence of Israel on May 14, 1948. Nothing funny about that.

Israeli Independence Day

Yom Ha'atzmaut, or Israel Independence Day, commemorates the declaration of independence of the State of Israel in 1948.

For more info from the Jewish Robot, watch my animations, "Teh History of Israel" and "Elijah-pendence Day".

ISTV

This strip is a milestone for Shabot 6000 ... It is the first time I am posting a comic from Israel! To be specific, Jerusalem, which is in the Israeli Standard Time Zone (IST).

To find out what time shabbat starts and ends in your city, check out the Chabad.org Candle Lighting Times calendar.

Special thanks to my roommate Aryeh for his title idea.

Home Safe

After three weeks in Israel, with a week's worth of Israel-Lebanon conflict overlap, I returned to Brooklyn safe and sound on July 19, 2006.

Peace-Fire

Today, Monday, August 14, 2006, a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect promptly at 8am.

In the last few hours before the cease-fire, both sides really unloaded on each other.

This Time It's War

Israeli military action in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict (Wikipedia)

''Disproportionate'' in What Moral Universe? (Washington Post)

Reverse Psychology

Passionate Response

Mel Gibson delivered an anti-Semitic tirade when he was arrested on drunken-driving charges last week, allegedly saying "the Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world."

Pigeonholy

The Kotel, or Western Wall in Jerusalem, is the last standing remnant of the Second Temple, dating back to the year 515 BCE.

When I was at the Kotel, I actually did witness a pigeon crapping on a Hasidic fellow davening up close to the wall, leaving a long white streak down his kippah and black coat. The man simply looked up and went back to his prayers.

Some people say you'll have good luck when a bird craps on you. Others believe this is just something one says to feel better about being defecated on by an animal.

Allahu Akbar is an Arabic term meaning "God is Great".

Taking Action

Israeli–Lebanese action continues with mounting military and civilian casualties on both sides. It also just happened to coincide with my first trip to Israel.

Stretch of Peace

July 2006 was my first trip to Israel. It just happened to coincide with the Hezbollah missile attacks from Lebanon. There hadn't been much action between Israel and Lebanon since 2000.

Chicken Feed

The deadly avian flu virus has spread to Israel. As a precautionary measure, it is necessary to kill all the livestock that could be infected. And destroying half a million birds is not a poultry sum. The birds will be killed by drinking poisoned water, not chicken soup.

I am reminded of an old joke:

Moments before a famous Shakespearean actor was to perform Hamlet to a packed house in New York, he dropped dead. The house manager solemnly went onstage and announced, "We are sorry to bring you this news, but our performance tonight has been canceled due to the untimely demise of our featured performer."  

From the back of the theater a voice cried out, "Give him some chicken soup!"  

Startled, the stage manager cleared his throat and replied, "I apologize if in my grief I have not made my solemn message clear. The man is deceased."  

Once again, but more emphatically the voice rang out, "Give him some chicken soup!"  

Having had about enough, the manager bellowed back, "Sir, the man is dead. Giving him chicken soup couldn''t possibly help." 

To which the voice replied, "It couldn't hurt!" 

The Gaza Comic Strip