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Simchat Torah (Day of Celebrating the Torah) for Hebrew Year 5781 begins at sundown on Saturday, 10 October 2020 and ends at nightfall on Sunday, 11 October 2020. Simchat Torah or Simḥath Torah (also Simkhes Toreh, Hebrew: שִׂמְחַת תורָה, lit., "Rejoicing with/of the Torah,") is a celebration marking the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. Simchat Torah is a component of the Biblical Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret ("Eighth Day of Assembly"), which follows immediately after the festival of Sukkot in the month of Tishrei (mid-September to early October on the Gregorian calendar).

I am typically in my office at Temple Sholom of Ontario on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:15 am - 1:15 pm. I am typically available unless I have a pre-arranged appointment or commitment.

Designed for ages 10 - 13 for students preparing for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah. Improving Hebrew reading skills, studying Torah. https://us04web.zoom.us/j/73337554944?pwd=aS81dEJyb3Y4KzhYNThzUUlGT2xXdz09

Parashat Mishpatim 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים 14 February 2026  / 27 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Mishpatim is the 18th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 21:1-24:18 , 30:11-16 Mishpatim (“Laws”) recounts a series of God’s laws that Moses gives to the Israelites. These include laws about treatment of slaves, damages, loans, returning lost property, the Sabbath, the sabbatical year, holidays, and destroying idolatry. The portion ends as Moses ascends Mount Sinai for 40 days. [1] Triennial year 1          1: 21:1-6  · 6 p’sukim                p. 306 - 307          2: 21:7-11  · 5 p’sukim   p. 307          3: 21:12-19  · 8 p’sukim            p. 307 - 308          4: 21:20-27  · 8 p’sukim            p. 308 - 309          5: 21:28-32  · 5 p’sukim            p. 310          6: 21:33-36  · 4 p’sukim            p. 310          7: 21:37-22:3  · 4 p’sukim         p. 310 - 311          maf * : 30:11-16  · 6 p’sukim  *Shabbat Shekalim   p. 352 - 353 Haftarah for Ashkenazim * : II Kings 12:1-17  · 17 p’sukim  *Shabbat Shekalim  p. 993 - 995 Commentary and Divrei Torah  Sefaria      OU Torah      Rabbi Sacks z”l      Jewish Theological Seminary   Hashem is not actively guiding humanity.  Consider that Moshe Rabbeinu is his agent who is tasked to manifest G-d’s teachings here in the material world.  Hashem has seen that humankind is capable of evil so it’s important now for some guidelines for righteous behavior so that we can all get along and thrive.  To that end, Israel will set an example.   In our last parashat, Moses received the Ten Declarations.  These are the major points upon which, as some have suggested, all other laws and teachings are based.  Now that the most important commandments have been promulgated, we start to receive more teachings to guide us.   The first set of commandments are those that address the proper way to interact those at the lowest level of society: indentured workers or slaves.  These are people that who are encumbered to others and upon whose welfare they depend.  This mandate treats them as people, not objects or chattels.    Such is the nature of Torah.  We talk about Divine Justice.  Justice is for everyone, regardless of station in life.  And this is why as Jews it is so important for us the study and live by Torah. Parashat Mishpatim 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת מִשְׁפָּטִים 14 de febrero de 2026 / 27 de Shevat 5786   Parashat Mishpatim es la decimoctava porción semanal de la Torá en el ciclo anual judío de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Éxodo 21:1-24:18, 30:11-16 Mishpatim (“Leyes”) relata una serie de leyes de Dios que Moisés entrega a los israelitas. Estas incluyen leyes sobre el trato a los esclavos, los daños, los préstamos, la devolución de la propiedad perdida, el Shabat, el año sabático, las festividades y la destrucción de la idolatría. La porción termina cuando Moisés asciende al Monte Sinaí durante 40 días. [1] Año trienal 1 1: 21:1-6 · 6 versículos              pág. 306 - 307 2: 21:7-11 · 5 versículos pág. 307 3: 21:12-19 · 8 versículos          pág. 307 - 308 4: 21:20-27 · 8 versículos          pág. 308 - 309 5: 21:28-32 · 5 versículos          pág. 310 6: 21:33-36 · 4 versículos          pág. 310 7: 21:37-22:3 · 4 versículos       pág. 310 - 311 maf*: 30:11-16 · 6 versículos  *Shabat Shekalim   pág. 352 - 353 Haftará para los asquenazíes*: II Reyes 12:1-17 · 17 versículos  *Shabat Shekalim  pág. 993 - 995   Comentario y Divrei Torá  Sefaria    OU Torá    Rabino Sacks z”l    Seminario Teológico Judío   Dios no guía activamente a la humanidad. Consideremos que Moisés es su agente, encargado de manifestar las enseñanzas de Dios aquí en el mundo material. Dios ha visto que la humanidad es capaz de hacer el mal, por lo que ahora es importante establecer pautas para un comportamiento justo, para que todos podamos convivir y prosperar. Con este fin, Israel servirá de ejemplo.   En nuestra última parashá, Moisés recibió los Diez Mandamientos. Estos son los puntos principales sobre los cuales, como algunos han sugerido, se basan todas las demás leyes y enseñanzas. Ahora que se han promulgado los mandamientos más importantes, comenzamos a recibir más enseñanzas para guiarnos.   El primer conjunto de mandamientos se refiere a la manera correcta de interactuar con aquellos que se encuentran en el nivel más bajo de la sociedad: los trabajadores contratados o esclavos. Se trata de personas que están subordinadas a otros y cuyo bienestar depende de ellos. Este mandato los trata como personas, no como objetos o propiedades.   Tal es la naturaleza de la Torá. Hablamos de la Justicia Divina. La justicia es para todos, independientemente de su posición social. Y por eso, como judíos, es tan importante para nosotros estudiar y vivir según la Torá.

Parashat Yitro 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ 7 February 2026  / 20 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Yitro is the 17th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 18:1-20:23 Yitro (“Jethro”) begins as Moses reunites with his father-in-law Yitro and accepts his advice to appoint judges who will help govern the Israelites. The Israelites prepare to encounter God at Mount Sinai. God descends amidst fire, smoke, thunder, and the blast of a shofar and gives the Ten Commandments. [1] Triennial year 1 1: 18:1-4  · 4 p’sukim  p. 288 2: 18:5-8  · 4 p’sukim  p. 288 3: 18:9-12  · 4 p’sukim  p. 288 - 289 4: 18:13-16  · 4 p’sukim  p. 289 5: 18:17-19  · 3 p’sukim  p. 289 6: 19:20-20:14  · 20 p’sukim  p. 294 - 300 7: 20:15-23  · 9 p’sukim    p. 300 - 301 maf: 20:19-23  · 5 p’sukim  p. 301 Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Isaiah 6:1-7:6 , 9:5-6  · 21 p’sukim   p. 302 - 305 Commentary and Divrei Torah   Sefaria       OU Torah       Rabbi Sacks z”l       Jewish Theological Seminary Interesting parashat.  At the end of the parashat we have Moshe Rabbeinu receiving the Ten Declarations, the first of the 613 commandments.  At the beginning of the parashat, we have the introduction of the modern business strategy of delegating responsibility by Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro. One of the methods of analyzing Torah is flow and progression.  One incident or situation leads to another.  What is the relationship? Consider that Moses is appointing wise, sincere and righteous men to help in adjudicating and teaching.  How would they know how?  What would be their knowledge base to rule accordingly? Simple.  Hashem is basically teaching, through Moshe Rabbeinu, basic principles of what will become Judaism.  By learning and teaching these principles, these people apply the commandments and thus become experts.  It is a common principle that teachers, by teaching, use their respective knowledge and in a sense learn more than the student. Let us all become experts ourselves by applying and teaching, as Hashem wants us Jews to become. Parashat Yitro 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת יִתְרוֹ 7 de febrero de 2026 / 20 de Shevat 5786 Parashat Yitro es la decimoséptima porción semanal de la Torá en el ciclo anual judío de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Éxodo 18:1-20:23 Yitro ("Jetró") comienza con el reencuentro de Moisés con su suegro Yitro y la aceptación de su consejo de nombrar jueces que ayuden a gobernar a los israelitas. Los israelitas se preparan para encontrarse con Dios en el Monte Sinaí. Dios desciende en medio de fuego, humo, truenos y el sonido de un shofar y entrega los Diez Mandamientos. [1] Año trienal 1 1: 18:1-4 · 4 versículos pág. 288 2: 18:5-8 · 4 versículos pág. 288 3: 18:9-12 · 4 versículos pág. 288 - 289 4: 18:13-16 · 4 versículos pág. 289 5: 18:17-19 · 3 versículos pág. 289 6: 19:20-20:14 · 20 versículos pág. 294 - 300 7: 20:15-23 · 9 versículos pág. 300 - 301 maf: 20:19-23 · 5 versículos pág. 301 Haftará para los asquenazíes: Isaías 6:1-7:6, 9:5-6 · 21 versículos pág. 302 - 305 Comentario y Divrei Torá   Sefaria    OU Torá    Rabino Sacks z”l    Seminario Teológico Judío Una parashá interesante. Al final de la parashá, vemos a Moshé Rabenu recibiendo los Diez Mandamientos, el primero de los 613 preceptos. Al comienzo de la parashá, encontramos la introducción de la estrategia empresarial moderna de delegación de responsabilidades, propuesta por Jetró, el suegro de Moisés. Uno de los métodos para analizar la Torá es el del flujo y la progresión. Un incidente o situación conduce a otro. ¿Cuál es la relación entre ellos? Consideremos que Moisés nombra a hombres sabios, sinceros y justos para que lo ayuden a juzgar y enseñar. ¿Cómo sabrían cómo hacerlo? ¿Cuál sería su base de conocimientos para dictar sentencias? Sencillo. Hashem, a través de Moshé Rabenu, está enseñando los principios básicos de lo que se convertirá en el judaísmo. Al aprender y enseñar estos principios, estas personas aplican los mandamientos y, de esta manera, se convierten en expertos. Es un principio común que los maestros, al enseñar, utilizan sus conocimientos y, en cierto sentido, aprenden más que el alumno. Que todos nos convirtamos en expertos aplicando y enseñando, como Hashem desea que seamos los judíos.

Parashat Beshalach 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח 31 January 2026  / 13 Sh’vat 5786 10-Minute Torah on YouTube Parashat Beshalach is the 16th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. Torah Portion: Exodus 13:17-17:16 Beshalach (“When He Let Go”) describes the splitting of the Red Sea and the song the Israelites sing upon crossing through. In the desert, God sweetens bitter water and provides manna and quail. The portion ends recounting the victory of the Israelites against an attack by the Amalekites.   [1] Triennial year 1 1: 13:17-22  · 6 p’sukim  p. 265 - 266 2: 14:1-4  · 4 p’sukim  p. 266 - 267 3: 14:5-8  · 4 p’sukim  p. 267 4: 14:9-14  · 6 p’sukim  p. 267 - 268 5: 14:15-20  · 6 p’sukim  p. 268 6: 14:21-25  · 5 p’sukim  p. 268 - 269 7: 14:26-15:26  · 32 p’sukim  p. 269 - 274 maf: 17:14-16  · 3 p’sukim  p. 280 - 281 Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Judges 4:4-5:31  · 52 p’sukim   p. 281 - 287 Commentary and Divrei Torah   Sefaria       OU Torah       Rabbi Sacks z”l       Jewish Theological Seminary Trust is a big issue.  Perhaps you may feel that when someone tells you to trust them, you can’t.  Similarly, sincere people don’t just tell you to trust them, they show you. Hashem had done a lot for Israel.  He told Moses and Aaron that the time had come for Him to make good on his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and now free Israel from the harsh burdens imposed by Pharaoh and lead them to their promised land.  He showed the “signs and wonders”, ie, the plagues, to Egypt and Pharaoh finally relented and released them. Pharaoh then had a change of heart and once Israel left, he chased after them to bring them back.  The Israelites, even after seeing the plagues, didn’t trust Hashem.  They complained that Moses led them to the shore of the Sea of Reeds where they were trapped.  Hashem then came through again and split the sea allowing the Israelites to pass through in safety and then drowning the Egyptian charioteers who chased after them. You would think that would be enough to convince Israel that Hashem will come through.  Unfortunately the complaining continues with water and food, which, of course, Hashem provides. So the problem isn’t trust, it’s Israel’s lack of faith.  Judaism does not demand blind faith–we’ve seen G-d work and come through for us time and time again. We need to have faith and trust.  Hashem has come through for us in the past, and so will He again. Parashat Beshalach 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּשַׁלַּח 31 de enero de 2026 / 13 de Shevat 5786 Torá en 10 minutos en YouTube Parashat Beshalach es la decimosexta porción semanal de la Torá en el ciclo anual judío de lectura de la Torá. Porción de la Torá: Éxodo 13:17-17:16 Beshalach ("Cuando Él los dejó ir") describe la división del Mar Rojo y el cántico que entonan los israelitas al cruzarlo. En el desierto, Dios endulza el agua amarga y les proporciona maná y codornices. La porción termina relatando la victoria de los israelitas contra un ataque de los amalecitas. [1] Año trienal 1 1: 13:17-22 · 6 versículos  pág. 265 - 266 2: 14:1-4 · 4 versículos  pág. 266 - 267 3: 14:5-8 · 4 versículos  pág. 267 4: 14:9-14 · 6 versículos  pág. 267 - 268 5: 14:15-20 · 6 versículos  pág. 268 6: 14:21-25 · 5 versículos  pág. 268 - 269 7: 14:26-15:26 · 32 versículos pág. 269 - 274 maf: 17:14-16 · 3 versículos  pág. 280 - 281 Haftará para los asquenazíes: Jueces 4:4-5:31 · 52 versículos pág. 281-287 La confianza es un tema importante. Quizás sientas que cuando alguien te dice que confíes en él, no puedes hacerlo. De manera similar, las personas sinceras no solo te dicen que confíes en ellas, sino que te lo demuestran. Hashem había hecho mucho por Israel. Le dijo a Moisés y a Aarón que había llegado el momento de cumplir su pacto con Abraham, Isaac y Jacob, y de liberar a Israel de las duras cargas impuestas por el Faraón y conducirlos a la tierra prometida. Mostró las "señales y maravillas", es decir, las plagas, a Egipto, y finalmente el Faraón cedió y los liberó. Luego, el Faraón cambió de opinión y, una vez que Israel se marchó, los persiguió para traerlos de vuelta. Los israelitas, incluso después de presenciar las plagas, no confiaron en Hashem. Se quejaron de que Moisés los había llevado a la orilla del Mar Rojo, donde quedaron atrapados. Entonces Hashem intervino nuevamente y dividió el mar, permitiendo que los israelitas cruzaran a salvo y ahogando a los carros egipcios que los perseguían. Uno pensaría que eso sería suficiente para convencer a Israel de que Hashem cumplirá sus promesas. Desafortunadamente, las quejas continuaron con respecto al agua y la comida, que, por supuesto, Hashem les proporcionó. Así que el problema no es la confianza, sino la falta de fe de Israel. El judaísmo no exige fe ciega: hemos visto a Dios actuar y cumplir sus promesas una y otra vez. Necesitamos tener fe y confianza. Hashem ha cumplido sus promesas en el pasado, y lo hará de nuevo.

At ModernRabbiShmuel, I officate at all Jewish Life Cycle Events including traditional and non-traditional, affiliated and non-affiliated, and Jewish and Interfaith. Personalized and meaningful services for lasting, beautiful memories. https://www.modernrabbistephen.com Top of Page Upcoming Events Shabbat Times Services New Blog Videos Upcoming Events Upcoming Events Multiple Dates Friday Evening Shabbat Ma'ariv Services מערב שבת Fri, Dec 05 Temple Sholom of Ontario More info RSVP Multiple Dates Saturday Morning Shabbat Shacharit Services שבת שחרית Sat, Dec 06 Temple Sholom of Ontario More info RSVP Multiple Dates Children's Religious School-First Sunday of the Month special activities Sun, Dec 07 Temple Sholom of Ontario More info RSVP Congregation Meeting Sun, Dec 21 Temple Sholom of Ontario More info RSVP Hanukkah Party Sun, Dec 21 Temple Sholom of Ontario More info RSVP New Blog NewBlog D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּשֶׁב / Parashat Vayeshev 5786 13 December 2025 / 23 Kislev 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein 7 days ago 4 min read D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת וַיִּשְׁלַח / Parashat Vayishlach 5786 6 December 2025 / 16 Kislev 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Nov 19 3 min read D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּצֵא / Parashat Vayetzei 5786 29 November 2025 / 9 Kislev 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Nov 17 3 min read D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת תּוֹלְדוֹת / Parashat Toldot 5786 22 November 2025 / 2 Kislev 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Nov 11 3 min read D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת חַיֵּי שָֹרָה Parashat Chayei Sara 5786 15 November 2025 / 24 Cheshvan 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Nov 5 4 min read D'var Torah for פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא Parashat Vayera 5786 8 November 2025 / 17 Cheshvan 5786 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Oct 24 4 min read Services Services Offered Rabbi Stephen S. Epstein A Modern Conservative Rabb i Baby Naming Bar & Bat Mitzvot Spiritual Counseling Individualized Torah Study Funerals & Memorials Conversions Weddings Videos All Videos All Categories Play Video Play Video 54:58 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Adult Hebrew II Parashat Vayishlach Tri Yr 1 Reviewing the Upcoming Torah portion of Vayishlach, Triennial Year 1 Play Video Play Video 10:23 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Friday Night Sermon (28 November 2025) Gratitude. And what happens when there is no gratitude? Play Video Play Video 10:48 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Parashat Vayeshev 5786 (13 December 2025 / 23 Kislev 5786) Enjoy your family; Who's the prophet?; What do you do with your gifts? Play Video Play Video 10:40 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Parashat Vayishlach 5786 (6 December 2025 / 16 Kislev 5786) Happy Holidays; Jacob is a warrior; Taking all precautions and maximizing your outcome. Play Video Play Video 11:40 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Parashat Vayeitzei 5786 (29 November 2025 / 9 Kislev 5786) Travelog; E Pluribus Unum; Jacob on the run; Guilty as charged? Play Video Play Video 53:13 Rabbi Stephen Epstein (Rav Shmuel) Adult Hebrew II Parashat Toldot Tri Yr 1 Reviewing the Torah reading for Parashat Toldot, Triennial Year 1 Load More Videos Shabbat Times

To see this working, head to your live site. Categories All Posts My Posts Forum Explore your forum below to see what you can do, or head to Settings to start managing your Categories. Create New Post General Discussions Share stories, ideas, pictures and more! subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 3 Follow Israel Media Media that gives an accurate and true story of what's happening in Israel subcategory-list-item.views subcategory-list-item.posts 11 Follow New Posts Gene Trosper Sep 03, 2021 Conversion question: acceptable activities? General Discussions When seeking conversion what is and is not acceptable? I know some say that non-Jews cannot fully participate in Shabbat, while others are less stringent. How would this apply to Sukkot or other observances? Speaking for myself, there is the desire to act, but on the other hand, there is a hesitancy for fear of doing something prohibited or "pretending" to be someone you are not by virtue of being a non-Jew doing "Jewish things." Due to a variety of viewpoints/approaches on this matter, I'm looking for clarification. Like 2 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Jun 07, 2021 I Worked on the Abraham Accords. It's Time to Free the Palestinians from Hamas—and Iran | Opinion Israel Media DR. ALI AL NUAIMI , CHAIRMAN OF THE DEFENSE AFFAIRS, INTERIOR AND FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE UAE'S FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL ON 6/7/21 AT 12:06 PM EDT https://www.newsweek.com/i-helped-broker-abraham-accords-its-time-free-palestinians-hamas-iran-opinion-1598198 Last August, we entered a new era: A 70-year stalemate was exchanged for an era of greater coexistence. The signing of the Abraham Accords between the United Arab Emirates and Israel that I helped broker was a bold, courageous move which promised to finally make progress where everything else had failed. After the recent conflict with Gaza, though, many thought the Abraham Accords was dead. Where was the promised peace, with rockets flying? To these skeptics, I would say, look at the bigger picture. The Abraham Accords are not about an Emirati and Israeli future but the whole region's future. The truth is, the Middle East conflict isn't between the Israelis and Palestinians but between Israel and Iran. Ask yourself who benefits from this conflict? The Palestinian people's rights and hopes have been hijacked by Hamas to serve an Iranian agenda. And it is against Iran's extremism that we must continue to fight. When the UAE leadership decided to move forward with the Abraham Accords, it was done with a strategic vision not only for the UAE but for the whole region. Skeptics thought the agreement was tied to the Trump administration, as if it might just fade away with the new administration. But there is no going back. We move forward with full speed and have already seen the added value of having such initiatives, not only for the UAE and Israel but for the whole region. Since the announcement of the Abraham Accords, we have seen that we can build bridges of trust and respect. We in the UAE had laid the foundations; we had already changed the education system and the narrative of the religious figures, readying our people for the path to peace. But it's not just about us. The people of the region are craving change, not least among them the Palestinian people, who are desperate for fresh leaders, leaders who can move beyond a rigid regime with an agenda that abuses the very people it rules. For this to happen, we also have to fight the war of propaganda—one that the Israelis lost in this last round of fighting between Israel and Hamas. I saw narratives coming from not only the Middle East but the West too, which represented a shift. One of the biggest errors in this narrative, which I saw repeated over and over in the media, was the way they speak about Gaza as if it's occupied by the Israelis. It's not: It's occupied by Hamas. And the Palestinian people in Gaza are suffering because of Hamas, not the Israelis. Unfortunately, though the propaganda of Hamas and Iran is not true, to the world, it is now dominant. Still, there is reason for hope. Twenty years ago, the Palestinian cause was priority number one in the region. Now, people in the Gulf see things differently. We still care. We still support support the Palestinians. We believe in the two-state solution. But people in the Gulf no longer believe that this should come at the expense of our national interest. Many activists responded to Hamas- and Jihad- influenced media and social media posts to say, we do care about the Palestinians—but we don't care about these terrorist organizations. What the public doesn't understand is who is behind so much of the media they read—who is funding this misguided narrative, which only serves to protect Hamas, and ultimately, Iran. This past conflict with Gaza should be the last war. We should all learn to speak one language: the language of peace. Now is the time to not just talk the talk, but for us all to walk the walk. Hamas and the Palestinian leadership have hijacked the minds of 2 million Palestinians to sell their political and terrorist agendas. We want the Palestinian people to enjoy what we enjoy, to have what we have and create a better future for a new generation. But we have to do this together, with all the stakeholders in the region, from NGOs to schools, religious leaders and governments. We cannot do this alone. Dr. Ali al Nuaimi is chairman of the Defense Affairs, Interior and Foreign Relations Committee of the UAE's Federal National Council, a representative legislature whose 40 members, half elected indirectly and half appointed, serve in an advisory role to the emirates' leadership. Like 0 Rabbi Stephen Epstein Jun 01, 2021 Bill Maher: Hamas negotiation demands are, 'You all die' Israel Media https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/307095 https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/bill-maher-defends-israel-on-his-hbo-show-you-cant-learn-history-from-instagram Comedian Bill Maher hits back after Israel is accused of 'apartheid,' 'war crimes.' 'Hamas's charter just says they want to wipe out Israel.' https://youtu.be/qONHQ_ePIB4 https://youtu.be/4wFQB-oeKGs https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=306607757763548 https://youtu.be/YIbXJsgKU3Q Comedian Bill Maher REUTERS/Danny Moloshok "Real Time" host Bill Maher on Friday night defended Israel's actions during the recent Operation Guardian of the Walls, Fox News reported. "One of the frustrations I had while I was off is that I was watching this war go on in Israel … and it was frustrating to me because there was no one on liberal media to defend Israel, really," Maher, 65, said at a panel discussion. "We've become this country now that we're kind of one-sided on this issue. And I'd also like to say off the bat I don't think kids understand -- and when I say kids I mean the younger generations – you can't learn history from Instagram. "There's just not enough space." Responding to The New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's claim that Israel committed "possible war crimes," Maher said: "Well, Gaza fired 4,000 rockets into Israel. What would you say Israel should have done instead of what they did?" Hamas, Maher pointed out, "purposely put the rockets in civilian places. That's their strategy." Maher also added that, "The Jews have been in that area of the world since about 1200 B.C., way before the first Muslim or Arab walked the earth." "I mean, Jerusalem was their capital. So if it's who got there first, it's not even close. The Jews were the ones who were occupied by everybody; the Romans took over at some point and then the Persians and the Byzantines and then the Ottomans. So yes, there was colonization going on there. Beginning in the 19th century, they started to return to Palestine, which was never an Arab country. There was never a country called Palestine that was a distinct Arab country." According to Fox News, Maher then pointed out that under the proposed 1947 plan, the Arabs would have had a "good part of the country," calling the Arabs "the people who rejected the half a loaf and continue to attack." "Hamas's charter says they just want to wipe out Israel. Their negotiation position is 'You all die.' The two-state solution has been on the table a number of times. There could be an Arab capital in East Jerusalem now if Yasser Arafat had accepted that in 2003. He did not. "I mean, they have rejected this and went to war time and time again," he emphasized, "And, you know, as far as Gaza goes, it's amazing to me that the progressives think that they're being progressive by taking that side of it, the Bella Hadids of the world, these influencers. "I just want to say in February of this year, a Hamas court ruled that a unmarried woman cannot travel in Gaza without the permission of a male guardian. Really? That's where the progressives are? Bella Hadid and her friends would run screaming to Tel Aviv if they had to live in Gaza for one day." Maher also noted that neither Britain nor Holland had any claim to South Africa, while in Israel the situation is different, Fox News said. "The Israelis, they have made mistakes, but it's an ‘apartheid’ state because they keep getting attacked! If they don't keep a tight lid on this s---, they get killed! That seems like something different!" he said. Like 0 Forum - Frameless