by Joel Padowitz
The Sukkah generates such intense spiritual energy that the souls of the seven shepherds of Israel leave Gan Eden to partake in the divine light of the earthly Sukkot.
What is the Garden of Eden? This is the place where worthy souls, having passed from this world, enjoy the light of the divine presence as they await entrance to the World to Come -- i.e. the post-Messianic age (Talmud - Shabbat 152b; Derech Hashem 1:3:11).
The Zohar, the foremost book of Jewish mysticism, explains that the Sukkah generates such an intense concentration of spiritual energy, that the divine presence actually manifests itself there in a similar way to Eden. During Sukkot the souls of the seven shepherds of Israel -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and King David -- actually leave Gan Eden to partake in the divine light of the earthly Sukkot (Zohar - Emor 103a).
Each day of Sukkot, all seven souls are present, but each takes his turn to lead the other six. Collectively these transcendent guests are known as Ushpizin, the Aramaic word meaning "guests." To welcome these illustrious souls, many have the custom to recite a lengthy mystical invitation upon entering ...   more »

Border Guard officers operating checkpoint near religious site overpower 16-year old Palestinian resident of Hebron attempting to carry out stabbing attack on worshippers in cave
Efrat Weiss
A stabbing attack at the Cave of the Patriarchs near Hebron was foiled Friday, when Border Guard officers stationed at the scene succeeded in preventing a 16-year old Palestinian resident of the city from assaulting worshippers in the cave with a knife.  
The incident occurred at 3:30 pm, when a Palestinian boy arrived at the Border Guard checkpoint near the religious site. The boy arrived from the Kasbah, and the officers began to suspect him of wrongdoing when they noticed a strange bulge in his sock.  
The officers called on the boy to halt a number of times, but their cries were not heeded. The boy then knelt, drew a knife from his sock, and began to advance on the officers. After one of the officers cocked his weapon the boy threw down the knife and began to retreat, at which point the troops overpowered him.
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Akko riots show that coexistence in city was merely virtual declaration
Zoher Bahalul
My beloved city, Akko, suffered a grave blow.  
Akko was never a model of coexistence as many people claim. This was no more than a virtual declaration. Not only in Akko, but all over the world, there is no model of coexistence.  
Riots Lead to Boycott     
It appears that Arabs and Jews were never able to find the winning formula and were never able to bridge the immense gaps, which leave both sides close but far; neighboring but suspicious.
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By JIM LOBE
STIFFING THE SYRIANS – With White House policy on Lebanon in shambles and efforts to isolate Syria defied by France, Turkey, and Israel itself, “it really doesn't make sense for the White House to continue stiffing the Syrians…. It's really just pure stubbornness at this point." Photo shows French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Damascus. (Image via Newscom) s
 A series of meetings between United States and Syrian diplomats, including U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her counterpart, Foreign Minister Walid Muallem, at the United Nations last week are stirring speculation that Washington may at last be moving toward engaging Damascus.
Instead of focusing on specific issues of special interest to the United States – mainly Washington's demands that Syria crack down hard against the infiltration of Sunni extremists into Iraq and stop supplying Hezbollah in Lebanon – the discussions also reportedly covered other topics as well, notably Damascus's appeals for Washington to involve itself directly in a burgeoning peace process between Syria and Israel.
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Israel's banking system is sound and can be trusted, Finance Minister Roni Bar-On, seen here in 2007, said on Friday, while appealing to investors not to panic. (AFP Yoav Lemmer)
JERUSALEM (AFP) Israel's banking system is sound and can be trusted, Finance Minister Roni Bar-On said on Friday, while appealing to investors not to panic."The situation of the banks in Israel is solid and rumours asserting the contrary are false," the minister said on public television.
Bar-On urged Israelis to remain calm.
"One should not yield to panic ... Israelis can be reassured that in the long run they can trust their banks, they will emerge winners," he said.
The minister indicated that he and his colleagues along with Stanley Fischer, the head of Israel's central bank, had formulated "plans of action according to possible occurrences."
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MOSCOW, October 11 (RIA Novosti) - A naval task force from Russia's Northern Fleet, led by the nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky, arrived Saturday in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, Capt. 1st Rank Igor Dygalo said.
After training at sea and some visits to other foreign ports, the Russian warships will head for the Caribbean to hold exercises in November with Venezuela's navy.
The Neustrashimy (Fearless) missile frigate from Russia's Baltic Fleet has also called at Tripoli to replenish supplies.
Dygalo, an aide to the Navy commander, earlier said the frigate would after leaving Tripoli continue its tour of duty via the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. "The Neutrashimy will go to Somalia where it will ensure the safety of Russian vessels passing through this area against pirate attacks," he said.
Last week, Somali Ambassador to Russia Mohamed Handule said his country's President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed had authorized Russia's military to fight pirates off Somalia's coast and on land.
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By Caroline B. Glick      
 Over the past several weeks, both Washington and Jerusalem have spelled out clear policies relating to the situation in Lebanon. The two policies contradict one another, and by adopting them, the US and Israel are on a collision course.
Following Lebanese President Michel Suleiman's visit to Washington last month, this past week Assistant Deputy Secretary of State David Hale and Assistant Deputy Secretary of Defense Mary Beth Long visited Beirut. Hale met with political leaders and Long presided over the first meeting of the newly formed US-Lebanese joint military committee. The purpose of the committee is to train and arm the Lebanese army. To this end, the US announced it will be providing the Lebanese military with $63 million in new equipment that includes ammunition, trucks, humvees, mobile communications systems and Cobra attack helicopters.
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