Tsunami in Asia

Posted: Mon, Dec 27 2004, 12:40 am Post subject: Tsunami in Asia

I can't believe the news today.
Is it just me, or did it send quivers down your spine as well?

This tidal wave that hit Asia was just devestating. Crying or Very sad

I asked my husband what he thought we should learn from it. His response was that we should all evaluate our lives and think if we are really living Torah lives.

I thought this was very appropriate. This past shabbos, our guests and ourselves were talking about how success in America has really gone to our heads. Jewish communities, yes, even the frummest of them, has this mentality of 'keeping up' with everyone else.
I think Sunday's event will help reel us in to what is most important and basic in our lives, Torah mitvos. Smile

Executive Member Joined: Dec 06 2004 Posts: 468

what it taught me most was "ushmartem m'od es nafshoseychem" - u gotta b real careful and pay attention to the weather and news forecasts. the us geological society claims that the devastating amount of loss of life could have been prevented had the afflicted countries had an emergency broadcast system in place, much like we have here in the us. from when the earthquake occured, till the first of the major waves hit, anywhere from 2 days to three hours lapsed. that's plenty of time to get outta harms way.

Gold Member Joined: Dec 23 2004 Posts: 1381

I agree!! Totally freeky/devestating!! We just can't understand what G-d had "in mind" that day. Thousands dead.... I know Indonisia is full of muslims... but then again still is a tragedy.

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

im sure you know that there were many many israelis vacationing there at the time.

Diamond Member Joined: Apr 30 2004 Posts: 4367

they said that california knew about the quale an hour and half BEFORE and had tye been able too they would have advised all to take a 15 min. walk inland. that would have saved tons.
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Gold Member Joined: Dec 23 2004 Posts: 1381

Senior Member Joined: Dec 09 2004 Posts: 149

I am sure that many are wondering what they can do to help with the relief effort in Southeast Asia.
Chabad of Thailand, under the auspices of The Jewish Association of Thailand, and headed by Rabbi Yosef C. Kantor, is at the forefront of providing a multitude of humanitarian services to the victims.
As the only local based Jewish service agency in the country dealing with this catastrophe, their offices and staff in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui have put everything else aside, working 24/7 to assist those in need and comfort
For more information, updates and to direct people for a way to help go to their website:
www.JewishThailand.com

Posted: Wed, Dec 29 2004, 9:44 pm Post subject: tsunami

Thank you for the update SK.
Hubby and I are forgoing our pizza and goodies Sunday and donating the money to tzedakah for this cause.
The human toll is just really sad.

Posted: Wed, Dec 29 2004, 10:03 pm Post subject:

I heard its expected to reach 100,000 people dead. thats an astonishing amount of people!!!
when was the last time so many people died within a few hours?
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Diamond Member Joined: Sep 18 2004 Posts: 2600

They are expecting at least as many people to die from diseases* as from the actual damage caused by the tsunami.

*resulting from lack of food and fresh water as well as from the decomposing bodies (it's summer there).

Posted: Thu, Dec 30 2004, 1:02 am Post subject:

my nephew is over there - decided to take 4 months to see Thailand - he was in the affected area 2 weeks ago and then B"H decided to go north for a few weeks - now I am very concerned about the sickness thing - not to mention his attraction to the Buddhist monks -
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Diamond Member Joined: Apr 30 2004 Posts: 4367

they don't have enough communication - or an alert system in place.

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just red in the news:
they didn't know whom to contact,
and didn't bother trying to find out or call embassy or SOMEBODY

Tragedies happen b/c of the indifference of the onlookers......
(I think, Tolstoy said this)

Posted: Thu, Dec 30 2004, 6:35 pm Post subject:

Check this out

http://news.sympatico.msn.ca/Home/Articles/tsunami.htm
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Platinum Member Joined: Sep 20 2004 Posts: 17151

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 11 2004 Posts: 19241

im surprised no one mentioned this:

from arutzsheva:

At least one Kabbalist sage predicted "natural calamities" over two weeks ago. He and others call for an increase in acts of kindness, as they try to place the events in universal context.

The venerated Rabbi Yitzchak Kaduri, considered Israel's leading Kabbalist rabbi, was quoted in the Yediot Acharonot newspaper on Dec. 12 as saying:

"We are now in the fourth year of what could be the seven-year Redemption period, according to the calculation of the Vilna Gaon. [However.] in the coming three years, uncertainty about the future will hang over our heads, unless we work and strive that the Messiah be revealed. The Messiah is already [here] in Israel. Whatever people are sure will not happen, is liable to happen, and whatever we are certain will happen may disappoint us. But in the end, there will be peace throughout the world. The world is mitmatek mehadinim (lit., becoming sweet from/of strict justice), great tragedies in the world are foreseen, that's the thing of the Jews going to the East. [emphasis added] But our enemies will not prevail over us in the Land of Israel, 'fear and trembling will fall upon them,' in the [merit of the] power of Torah."

Rabbi Kaduri said this week, "What can save the world from calamities is real repentance by Jews, who must increase acts of kindness towards one another... The cry of the many poor in Israel and the expulsion of Jews from their homes shakes the world... It's not for naught that this place was hit, where many of our compatriots went to look for this-worldly lusts."

Rabbi Kaduri has told his students that the current government will be the last one of the "old era," and that the new government will already have leadership of the Messianic era.

Another sage, Rabbi Chaim Kanevsky of Bnei Brak, was quoted in Yediot in the same article as saying that we are verily in the period of the beginning of the Redemption period, and that the Messiah could be revealed at any moment. He called for further outreach "in order to prevent calamities and to bring mercy from the Creator. All Jews must come to the Land of Israel." The Rabbi also called to establish Torah schools in every area, and that "Torah study will prevent calamities � from earthquakes to other natural disasters."

The Kipa website, a Hebrew-language forum for religious youth, features a response by Rabbi Uziel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of the Misgav Regional Council in the Galilee regarding a Jewish approach to the calamitous events. "First of all," Rabbi Eliyahu wrote, "we should pray and ask G-d to remove His wrath from the word, send a complete recovery to the injured, and help and protect everyone in the world, causing sorrow to depart."

Rabbi Eliyahu added that what is happening now was decreed on Rosh HaShanah [the Jewish New Year]: "It was a Divine decree that was issued regarding 'who will be killed by water, and who by fire...'" Our job now, he wrote, is to "pray to G-d, to try harder in studying Torah and fulfilling the Torah and doing acts of kindness and charity. This is an hour of reckoning for the entire world!!!"

Rabbi Eliyahu emphasized that G-d has complete control of nature, and that the Jewish People live "amidst great faith, despite questions that remain open. No question mark can break our strength of great and perfect faith in G-d... This does not prevent us from asking and searching for answers and [logical] explanations, but it all takes place on the solid ground of great faith in G-d... The Bible (Zechariah 14) mentions that in the future, when the Messiah comes, the Mt. of Olives will be split in two... The Messiah can come at any minute, even as you read these lines..."

Platinum Member Joined: Sep 20 2004 Posts: 17151

firsthand account with pictures

http://www.chabad.org/magazine/article.asp?AID=247219

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