Posted on 11/16/2006 11:55:41 AM PST by Nachum
Israel’s defense ties with the United States have resulted in a large contract for American Jewish scribes, who are to supply the new Defense Ministry building with mezuzas.
The military aid given to Israel by the U.S. requires Israel to spend that money on American goods, thereby boosting the American economy, which relies heavily on defense contracts.
Until now, this has not only resulted in assault rifles with “property of the U.S. government” written on them, but canned corn and sucking candies in IDF combat rations still bearing the English labels from supermarket chains such as ShopRite and Stop n’ Shop.
Now, with defense budgets in Israel slashed, even mezuzas are being outsourced to American scribes. Jews are required by the Torah to affix a mezuza, which contains a small rolled parchment (klaf) inscribed with two sections from Deuteronomy (6:4-9 and 11:13-21), to the right-hand doorpost and gate of Jewish homes and buildings.
Israeli scribes are the chief producers of mezuzas used worldwide, but the hundreds of parchments ordered by the defense ministry will come from American Judaica consortiums.
At least $30,000 has already been spent on the American mezuzas, which will grace the offices of Israel’s top brass in the new reinforced building being constructed as part of the Defense Ministry’s Kiryah compound in Tel Aviv.
The Defense Ministry confirmed the report and explained that the decision was made due to the fact that American-made mezuzas are cheaper.
Lol.
ping?
funny. i was told by an American Sofer that he doesnt write mezuzzas any more because the Israeli soferim can write them at lower cost.
I think this was an ingenious method to get around the requirement that the money has to be spent in the U.S.
If it went to some poor scribes and their families, that is better than new shoes for Aliza Olmert or sex toys for Haim Ramon.
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I think this was an ingenious method to get around the requirement that the money has to be spent in the U.S.
My brother is a sofer in Jerusalem. He sells almost everything he makes to a rabbi in the US east coast, who then resells them. I'm sure that he's not alone in doing this.
If it went to some poor scribes and their families, that is better than new shoes for Aliza Olmert or sex toys for Haim Ramon.
Aw-mein!
LOL!
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I don't understand what we are talking about here....but I am a Baptist , so maybe I am not suppose to know....
Sorry, but if you can't show me the secret handshake I can't help you...
Oh, okay. Just don't tell anyone.
Thanks!
I'd better not lose my secret decoder ring over this!
Thank God for the internet.
Too late....
"I don't understand what we are talking about here....but I am a Baptist , so maybe I am not suppose to know..."
I am a Roman Catholic so the scroll in my mezuza is in Latin.
(no kidding, it was a gift from an old friend and fishing partner who is Jewish)
Oh, no! I've become a goy! I feel this unspeakable urge to put mayonaisse on a corned-beef sandwich...
But.. are they getting these Mezuzza's Wholesale?
I worry more that the present defense ministry is more interested in building decorations than supplying the military with the tools it needs. There were cases this last war of the IDF troops going with out food. I would rather they get cans of food than the REMF's getting nice Mezzuza's. You can buy Mezzuza's on Ben Yehuda street pretty darn cheap.
I think this is a sign of liberalism at the top more than wisdom.
Just ease yourself into it with a "bread and butter" pickle on top for starters.
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