Windows to Russia
Hello,
We are still running around Israel. Svet and I are at the Dead Sea today. It is fabulous, fantastic and wonderful, all rolled up together!![](http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa306/kylekeeton/coffee10.gif")
So after a good night sleep and a float (hard to swim) in the Dead Sea. I plan on posting an article with pictures and all. We are staying at the Garden hotel and plan on staying 3 nights here.
So stay tuned for a good post tomorrow….
Kyle & Svet
comments always welcome.
Hello,
We have arrived in Israel just in time for Yom Kipper a very important Jewish holiday.
Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day. Yom Kippur occurs on the 10th day of Tishri. The holiday is instituted at Leviticus 23:26 et seq.
The name “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the sins of the past year. In Days of Awe, I mentioned the “books” in which G-d inscribes all of our names. On Yom Kippur, the judgment entered in these books is sealed. This day is, essentially, your last appeal, your last chance to change the judgment, to demonstrate your repentance and make amends.
So today is a total day of rest and fasting in Israel. Which means we are goofing off. 🙂 No cars or any motorized transport runs at all, including Airlines or busses. Here is a video done by friends of ours in Israel. Chelita is taking the movie, starting from left to right we have Chelita’s Mother, Svet, Kyle and Misha! We just got done with traditional feast the day before Yom Kipper. Now comes the 25 hour fasting.
That is all for today…
Kyle & Svet
link to Chelita’s Blog
http://thegelady.blogspot.com/
http://thegelady.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-post_9095.html
comments always welcome.
We want to thank Blackseabrew for finding this article for us. It is a first hand account of the war that was waged on South Ossetia….
By Lira Tskhovrebovafrom the October 8, 2008 edition
Tskhinvali, South Ossetia – In a speech before the United Nations last month, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili implored world leaders to set up an international investigation to find out the truth about the war in South Ossetia.
I couldn’t agree more. But I think the results of an honest investigation would reveal a very different “truth” than what President Saakashvili claims.
I know this because I was in Tskhinvali, the capital of South Ossetia, on Aug. 7 when Georgian troops marched into the city and killed my friends and neighbors. I huddled with my family in terror for three nights while Saakashvili’s tanks and rockets destroyed hundreds of our homes, desecrated cemeteries, gutted schools and hospitals.
I also have good reason not to trust what Saakashvili says. For three days before the attack I had been getting calls from many Georgian friends warning me to get out. They said Saakashvili was planning an attack. Most of the Georgians living in South Ossetia left because they knew what was coming.
On the night of Aug. 7, Saakashvili went on television and assured the frightened civilian population of South Ossetia that he would not attack us. This was long after the time Saakashvili now claims Russians had begun “invading” Georgia.
Ossetians went to bed relieved and thankful for a peaceful night.
Less than two hours later, according to credible international accounts, his artillery, bombers, and three brigades of ground troops unleashed what I can only describe as a fierce hell on our city. In the moment, we knew only our fear as we hid. Afterward I spoke with hundreds of Ossetians to find out what was done to us.
My friend’s elderly father tried to douse the flames set by Georgian fire on the home he had built with his hands. His leg was severed by shrapnel from Georgian weapons. He bled to death while his disabled wife crawled from their burning home.
Ossetians saw Georgian tanks firing into basements where women and children hid for safety They saw fleeing families shot down by Georgian snipers. We learned that the Georgian military had used Grad rocket systems and cluster bombs against Tskhinvali.
Yes, I would very much like to see an international commission investigate the truth of what happened.
When I came out from hiding, thanking God that the Russians had saved our lives, I was dismayed by the reaction of the international media to what had happened. There was nothing about Ossetian deaths and the unprovoked horrors inflicted by Saakashvili’s military. It made my heart sick.
The truth has been crushed by Georgia’s powerful public relations machine as mercilessly as Georgian tanks rolled over the defenseless civilians of Tskhinvali.
I know that Americans are a generous and fair people. But Americans haven’t been told the truth about what happened to us. Americans don’t understand that Ossetians are an independent, Christian Orthodox people with a deep history in our land. The world talks only about Georgian freedom. What of freedom for my people? Does our suffering, do our voices, mean nothing?
I don’t blame the Georgian people for what happened to us. The vast number of Ossetians and Georgians want to live in peace. I blame Georgia’s leaders.
Saakashvili has persuaded the world that he is a “beacon” of democracy and openness. But he won’t even tell his own people the truth. My Georgian friends weren’t allowed to see any Russian news sites during the conflict because all of those sites were blocked by Saakashvili’s government.
I know we are a small people, and I make no claim to understanding the experts in geopolitics with their theories and pronouncements about the great powers. But I have fought for women’s rights in Ossetia for 12 years and I believe in the truth.
In a recent article, Saakashvili cynically dismissed Ossetian suffering and deaths because, he said, Russia had “lied” about how many of my people were killed by the Georgian military.
It breaks my heart to even engage in this discussion. No one – including Saakashvili – knows how many Ossetians were killed by his Army. I have friends who buried loved ones in their backyards because there were no alternatives. Many people are still missing.
Does Saakashvili believe his vicious attack on a civilian city was justified if he only killed a few hundred rather than a few thousand? Do Americans realize that a military trained and equipped by the US government attacked a civilian population as they slept in their beds? Can they justify sending another billion dollars to Georgia and nothing for those Georgia attacked?
I have made an urgent appeal to the world for humanitarian relief for our people at the website helpossetianow.org. I beg the United States and the world to find out the truth. Please hear our voices.
• Lira Tskhovrebova is the founder of the Association of South Ossetian Women for Democracy and Human Rights and has worked for more than a decade to improve relations between people of Georgian and Ossetian descent in the Caucasus.
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| Find this article at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1008/p09s02-coop.html |
Hello,
The first day in Israel was a mixture of emotions. First off we were so tired that we had to sleep for about 13 hours. It was that stressful fighting with the airports. To make a long trip short, we flew from Moscow Russia to Zürich Switzerland. Ran (literally) across one of the biggest airports we have ever seen. Then caught our transfer with about 1 min. extra, to Tel Aviv, Israel. Then found a taxi and made it to home for the next few days.
After sleeping forever: We went to the Russian Consulate in Israel and started the visa dance that is so much fun in this world. That is enough stress that you want to scream.
After being told about (the and what) thousands of things that we have to get together for the next visit tomorrow, we went to eat some delicious Israeli food. Yummy!
Then we took a walk and Svet went swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Svet had a blast!
One thing first noticed is every pole has a bike chained to it!
Not every bike is safe though!
The water was warm and the breeze is cool and gentle.
The beach is lined with every big name Hotel on Earth!
Beach is better than looking at Hotels! 🙂
Found some neat art work at a culture building on our walk! See the fake shadows on the building!
So the first day was interesting and tomorrow we have to go dance the visa waltz again!
Everyone have a good day and we will post again soon….
Kyle & Svet
comments always welcome.
Hello,
We made it and just got up from 13 hours of sleep. I think that the jet trips are hard on people.
We will have a bigger post tonight about our first day in Israel….
Gotta go get my visa done, then we play.
Kyle & Svet
Around 1500 people gathered in central Moscow on Saturday to commemorate those who died during a confrontation between the Russian President Boris Yeltsin and the Parliament in October 1993.
It’s 15 years since the constitutional crisis almost led to civil war.
Around 150 people died, including civilians as well as servicemen. Many died during clashes with police and when the Ostankino TV center was stormed.
The conflict ended when the then Parliament building – the White House – was shelled by tanks by forces loyal to the president. That forced the legislators who had impeached president Boris Yeltsin to surrender.
The events changed the political face of Russia – a new Constitution adopted after the crisis gave the Russian president increased powers.
Russia’s No.1 tennis tournament – the Kremlin Cup – starts on Saturday, featuring a moderately strong men’s draw and a women’s line-up that’s as strong than as many Grand Slam tournaments and inferior only to the seasons finals, with 16 players from the top 20 of WTA’s ranking participating.
Many of the world’s top players have already arrived in Moscow to have time to prepare for the tournament at the Olympisky Arena. Their number includes Amelie Mauresmo, who got all the way to the final back in 2003 when she lost to home favourite Anastasia Myskina.
Interviewed by Aleksey Leonov, Osetinfo.ru, Ossetia-war.com
The third day of the PACE session was marked by severe criticism of and even insults to Russia. In an interview with Osetinfo.ru, Aleksandr Brod, the chief of the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights comments on the delegates’ speeches and shares his views on the further development of the Russia-Western relationships.Osetinfo.ru: How strong is the criticism of Russia?
Aleksandr Brod: Some speeches were extremely severe. Russia was accused, sometimes inappropriately. Some statements were like “the Russian Bear should be stopped”, “Russian tanks entered Georgia and Georgia lies in ruins”, “The tanks are not only in Georgia, but in this very hall, and in Europe”. It was said the Russian occupational forces invaded a sovereign state, amid allegations of mass rape and looting by Russian servicemen. Similarities were drawn with the Rwanda tragedy and the topic of the USSR’s invasion of Czechoslovakia was stirred again.
The Kremlin was accused of fearing democracy. Russia was called an “Empire of Evil”, while a Georgian delegate spoke about the low corruption level in his country and about Russia’s attempts to disrupt the peaceful process of democratisation in Georgia.
The question of issuing the passports of a foreign country to local residents was raised again. It was said that the Russian passports thus issued were forged.
Even those who admitted Georgia’s injustice accused Russia of “insufficient actions to prevent the invasion of South Ossetia”.
Some Western officials even made the absurd statement that Russia had sent its ships to South Ossetia’s shores, which meant they were not at all aware where South Ossetia was actually located.O: Were there any positive statements about Russia?
AB: Oh, yes. For instance the representative from Greece spoke in support of Russia. He said that some delegates were trying to veer from the truth, and he insisted that it was Georgia that started the war, thus violating all the norms of international law. He also said it was now necessary to forget about the Soviet path and to stop identifying modern Russia with the Soviet Union.
One of European delegates made the following statement: “Georgia admits it has done something wrong.” Within the current session this statement is rather positive. It was also said that Russia was becoming a big and powerful state that must be taken into account.Two statements were made on behalf of Great Britain. One of them was saturated with criticism of Russia, while the second one was aimed at investigating the objective causes of the tragedy. Ukraine’s representative also had good words for Russia. He was rather strict in his support of Russia and appealed for Georgia’s actions to be denounced.
O: Is it possible to convince the European colleagues and change their negative attitude towards Russia?
AB: I think it is, although not so fast. The West shows that the clichés about Russia are so deeply rooted in people’s minds that they are virtually unchangeable. For many, Russia is identified with the “Evil Empire”, the Soviet Union. As to what has happened in the past 20 years, it is terra incognita for many.
I think an unbiased investigation of the situation should be carried out. The investigators’ group must be comprised of representatives from different countries. It is possible that after such an investigation, the PACE delegates could be influenced on their stance.
The G7 group of nations consists of:
– Canada 🇨🇦
– France 🇫🇷
– Germany 🇩🇪
– Italy 🇮🇹
– Japan 🇯🇵
– United Kingdom 🇬🇧
– United States of America 🇺🇲
These countries are the brunt of all the chaos happening in this day and age. Hopefully the rest of the world will get back on track and isolate these countries…
WtR
RBC, 03.10.2008, Astrakhan 13:30:52.In light of the global financial crisis, many international regulations may be revised, Russian Economy Minister Elvira Nabiullina told a Caspian Sea summit in Astrakhan, a major city in southern European Russia. International financial architecture as a whole will inevitably change, Nabiullina asserted, and the role of traditional financial investment institutions, financial organizations, and separate currencies will be reconsidered.
RBC, 03.10.2008, Moscow 12:21:59.The State Duma approved the bill outlining additional measures to support Russia’s financial system in the first reading. According to Vladislav Reznik, chairman of the Duma committee for the financial market, the bill will grant Vnesheconombank the right to extend foreign-currency loans to both banks and non-financial companies to enable them to pay off and service their foreign loans obtained before September 25, 2008.
RBC, 03.10.2008, Kemerovo 11:04:01.The global financial crisis will not seriously affect the development of the Russian mortgage market, First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov told journalists in Kemerovo, a Russian industrial city east-northeast of Novosibirsk. Granted, the market will probably be developing more slowly than it has during the past two weeks, but it will still move in a positive direction.
RBC, 03.10.2008, Moscow 10:25:38.Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is set to pay a visit to Kyrgyzstan on October 9-10, the leader’s press office reported today. On October 10, he is scheduled to take part in meetings of the CIS Council of the Heads of State and the intergovernmental council of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek.
RBC, 02.10.2008, Moscow 19:59:21.Russia and Ukraine have agreed on a memorandum on cooperation in the gas industry, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced during Russian-Ukrainian intergovernmental negotiations today. The document will serve as a basis for a formal agreement between Gazprom and Naftogaz of Ukraine, which will stipulate all further details.
RBC, 02.10.2008, St. Petersburg 19:42:40.Trade between Russia and Germany could reach a new all-time high level of around $60bn, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in St. Petersburg today. He added that Russia was intent on actively contributing to its further growth.
RBC, 02.10.2008, Moscow 18:42:17.Russia and Germany may collaborate in the creation of alternative global financial centers, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at the opening of Russian-German consultations in St. Petersburg today. The Russian leadership believes that the country managed to accumulate sufficient financial reserves before the global crisis erupted, Medvedev maintained. However, he did not rule out the possibility of Russian-German mutual financial assistance. The president also added that he expected Germany to cooperate with Russia in reforming international financial institutions, along with the global financial and economic system as a whole.