What were the teachings of Rabbi Benjamin Kahane and wife, Talia, that Palestinians ambushed them for, 15-years ago this month?

Martyred Talia, Binyamin, and Meir Kahane  

Fifteen years after their tragic death by Arab terrorists, a memorial was held in Los Angeles on Thursday for Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane and his wife Talia. The couple was killed in December of 2000 when Arab terrorists fired at their vehicle south of the Samarian community of Ofra, as they were driving from Jerusalem to their home in Kfar Tapuach. Just minutes before the attack the couple dropped off their 9-year-old son in Beit El where he attended school. 

Benjamin & Talia Kahane left 6 orphans

Rabbi Kahane was fatally shot and lost control of the car which overturned. Talya was critically wounded and died in the ambulance en route to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. The couple's five daughters, who were also in the car, were wounded by the terrorists.

One of the murderers was Khaled Shawish, a senior commander in the Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades terrorist organization, sponsored by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction. He was caught more than 8 years ago by Israeli forces in Ramallah. 

Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane was born in New York and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1971. He was the son of Rabbi Meir Kahane, who founded the Kach movement and who was himself murdered by an Arab gunman in New York in November 1990. After his father’s death, Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane headed the “Kahane Chai” (Kahane Lives) movement which he established to continue his father's legacy. 

Binyamin and Talia Kahane were buried in Jerusalem. Their six children are being raised by Talia's younger sister and her husband in Kfar Tapuach.  (Israel National News) You can see the young, Nachum Shifren in this AP News video. He spoke at the Los Angeles event. 

Avraham Herzlich, Talia's father, a former New Yorker, turned Torah-observant shepherd- opens-up about his views since Palestinians murdered his daughter, Talia Kahane and son-in-law, Benjamin Kahane, which created 6 orphans his family has had to care for. Every day, he and a Belgian Shepherd dog lead their flock of 250 goats to graze across Jewish pastures on the West Bank - incurring the ire of Palestinian olive farmers.

What perspectives can we learn about who they were, what they taught, and why they were killed? What lessons do they have for our times? For the 15th year since the assassination of Rabbi Benjamin and Talia Kahane, Jonathan Stern organized a teaching in their honor. 



Event-speakers in this playlist: Rabbi Zvi Block of Toras Emes in Valley Village, Rabbi Nachum Shifren, Aryeh Rifkin of Jewish Activity Center of L.A., and Rabbi Moshe Parry.

AIPAC Policy Conference addresses U.S. foreign policy and its effect on freedom and safety

Franco Frattini, Italy's former Foreign Minister joined Canada's Foreign Minister John Baird on the AIPAC Policy Conference mainstage with Robert Satloff (Center for Defense of Democracies) to explain the threat Iran and Islamist terror pose beyond Israel. 

Consecutive video clips from the AIPAC main stage:  Elliot Abrams and Dennis Ross with Frank Sesno;

Amb. Michael Oren with Frank Sesno 

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) on the main stage; 

US Medal of Honor recipient veteran Sgt. Major Ken Stumpf relates perceptions visiting I.D.F. 

US Medal of Honor, Lt. Col. Hon. Alfred Rascon shares his experience from Israel 

 

Breakout session:  Analyzing American power in the Mid-East under Obama administration's policies and actions in the wake of the post-Arab Spring. 

Former AIPAC president, David Victor moderates panel presentations by: Robert Satloff, Executive Director of Center for Defense of Democracies; Wall St. Journal's Bret Stephens; Ha'aretz military analyst Amos Harel, conveying his country's view of the Middle East in view of the upheaval in Syria and Egypt. 



Far-leftist, anti-Israel demonstrators were again present. The notorious Code:Pink's Medea Benjamin antagonized AIPAC attendees shouting agitprop through a loud P.A. system.  We inquired what information were they shaping their criticisms by.  Only a few AIPAC attendees challenged them.  We followed one young man who did, and then engaged them directly.  Their answers (in this playlist) may surprise you.

Prof. Alan Dershowitz & 1st Israeli Paralympics gold-medaller, Noam Gershony, address Zionist advocacy group StandWithUs

Elon Gold performed master-of-ceremonies services for the L.A.-based, Zionist advocacy organization, Stand With Us', Festival of Lights fundraising dinner 12/2/12. The 11-year old group primarily serves Zionist-advocacy assistance on academic campuses. Prof. Alan Dershowitz delivered remarks about Israel's problems from the White House and the United Nations. 

The attendees were also addressed by Israel's first, gold-medal winning paralympian, wheelchair tennis athlete (downed helicopter pilot) Noam Gershony (who bested his American opponent to win the finals). From the Israeli Consulate, Consul General David Siegel, Carolyn ben Natan, and Danny Gadot attended. The 11th anniversary brought together a number of early L.A. Zionist activists, including Gary Ratner (now an executive at StandWithUs), Scott Jacobs, editor of JewTube.Info, and Allyson Rowen Taylor (like Ratner, formerly with the AJC, today an interior designer, artist, and painter).  Philanthropic families- Ellie and Bruce Lederman and Debbie and Naty Saidoff contributed to hosting the event. 

Prof. Alan Dershowitz's keynote speech before 1100 attendees, touched on Hamas, Gaza, apartheid, Iran, and the Obama White House.