Pelayo of Asturias
Pelayo (in Spanish) or Pelágio (in Portuguese) (690–737) was the founder of the Kingdom of Asturias, ruling from 718 until his death. He is credited with beginning the Christian Reconquista or reconquest of the Iberian peninsula (modern Portugal and Spain) from the Moors.

Life

Pelayo was a nobleman of high birth in the Visigothic kingdom that held power in Hispania from the early fifth century until its defeat by the Moors at the Battle of Guadalete in 711. He escaped capture at the Guadalete River, where he may have been one of the bodyguards of Roderic, the Visigothic king. Pelayo returned to his native Asturias (in the northern part of modern day Spain) and became the leader of a rebellion against Munuza, the Moorish governor of the area.

He was captured in 717 and imprisoned by the Moors but soon escaped and returned to Asturias, where he defeated Munuza and established the Kingdom of Asturias in 718, with its capital at Cangas de Onis. In accordance with Visigothic custom, he was elected as his nation's first king by a vote of his countrymen.

In the following few years, Pelayo's "kingdom" was more illusory than actual, as he was facing forces much stronger than his own. It wasn't until 722 that his kingdom was secured, when a powerful Moorish force sent to conquer Asturias once and for all was defeated by Pelayo at the Battle of Covadonga, a victory for superior tactics over superior numbers -- Moorish chronicles of the event describe Pelayo and his small force as "thirty wild donkeys". This established the independence of Pelayo's kingdom and is now regarded as the first Christian victory of the Reconquista.

Pelayo died in 737. His son Favila succeeded him as king but could not enjoy the throne for a long time: legends claim that he was killed by a bear. After Pelayo the subsequent kings of Asturias, León, Castile, Portugal and Spain could trace their lineage back to him and before. However, attempts to link him to the royal house of the Visigoths (some sources claim he is the grandson of the Visigothic King Chindasuinth, 563–653) are disputed.

Posted by: Elendur at May 15, 2006 5:32 PM

As long as there is any pocket of resistance to Sharia and caliphate, I will be in it.

So will I.

Posted by: Carolyn2 at May 15, 2006 5:45 PM

count me in

Posted by: johndoe at May 15, 2006 5:49 PM

Farah was trying to make a point. And the point, having been made (it has been made many times before) everyone can go back to the same worries, same furies. The leadership of Israel is no worse than that all over the Western world. The problem is that it is also no better And unlike the United States, with the Atlantic and the Pacific, and benign if holier-than-thou Canada, and less benign but hardly militarily threatening Mexico, Israel is surrounded on three sides, with its back to the Mediterranean, and even if it holds on, as it should, and as it has ever legal, historic, and moral right to, to every dunam of territory it currently possesses (and it was foolish to give up Gaza to Egypt, foolish to keep negotiating these assorted Treaties of Al-Hudaibiyyah with Muslim enemies who will pocket whatever they can, and then continue the relentless Lesser Jihad, if not through conventional military means, then by means of diplomatic and economic warfare, demographic warfare, and of course terrorism that saps the will and makes leaders and led more susceptible to the siren-song of "negotiations."

Were Israel to go under, the consequences for the world's Jews and Christians would be immense and terrible -- greater even than the hidden demoralization of the West that followed upon the quite unnecessary World War I, and the quite necessary World War II (but necessary only because the West tried appeasement of the Nazi regime for too long). The loss of access to the Holy Land -- or access only as dhimmis, prepared to humble themselves at every step -- by the world's Jews and Christians (those still able to face themselves in the mirror)-- and the destruction of Israel, which might be possible through a few bombs carefully set off -- would swell Muslim hearts and whet appetites everywhere.

A sign of triumph, a sign of Allah's support. There would be no stopping the determination of Muslims then o go from this fabulous "triumph" to others. Whether it would be done in a fashion intended to repossess (Muslims as the world-wide Repo Man)what had once been under Muslim rule -- Sicily and Sardinia, Spain, the Balkans, Greece, Rumania, Bulgaria, much of Hungary -- or whether, under the new conditions, it would simply proceed as it is now, by slow degrees or fast, everywhere that there are large and inexorably growing, unopposedly growing, Muslim communities, is not known.

Does the order matter? The goal remains the same: to reduce Dar al-Harb to the point of vanishing, until Dar al-Islam is all there is, anywhere. It may not happen. There are societies sure of themselves: China, Korea, Japan. But it might happen to the frivolous, uncertain, quite unnecessarily guilt-ridden West.

Israel has to be saved in spite of itself, and not abandoned. No matter how infuriating its mediocre leaders may be. We have a certain familiarity, in the United States, and the United Kingdom, and France, and Italy, and everywhere, with mediocre leaders. That should not lead to abandoning Italy, France, England, America in a fit of pique.

Not the place for pique. Fury, but not pique.

Posted by: Hugh at May 15, 2006 6:05 PM

Resistance is futile. At least one million more Muslims per year will be admitted to the United States, most of them unskilled illiterates from Arab countries. This is part of the Senate immigration "reform" legislation.

The decision has been made by the elites of the Western world and there will be no "pockets of resistance". They will be wiped out in the name of "peace".

Don't worry, be happy. There is nothing we can do.

Viva El Presidente Jorge bin Jorge bin Prescotto al-Bush!

Islam is a religion of peace.

Allahu akbar, losers!

Posted by: Norseman at May 15, 2006 6:07 PM

Isn't Israel going to be destroyed by the demographics in any case?

Posted by: Celsius at May 15, 2006 6:16 PM

"Isn't Israel going to be destroyed by the demographics in any case?"
-- from a posting above

Are the countries of the Western world simply supposed to succumb to demographic conquest? They can't stop all Muslim immigration? They can't make the practice of Islam harder rather than easier? They can't flaunt the freedoms, even the decadence, of the Western world to make it antipathetic to Believers? They can't, if they feel the need, follow Masaryk and Benes in what they felt compelled to do in 1946? Helpless, are we? Able to send millions of men to the Western Front in the Great War, able to mobilize tens of millions in World War II, and endure all kinds of privation throughout the countries occupied by the Nazis, but not able to prevent mere demography from changing the nature of the Western world, its art, its science, its everything? No? Simply inconceivable? Why?

Posted by: Hugh at May 15, 2006 6:21 PM

I understand your passion Hugh. It's a desperate situation. One can only look on helplessly, watching Europe committing cultural suicide. It seems to stem from some kind of self-loathing, some kind of self-abnegation--a hollow valueless and nihilistic void.I live here and often I feel like leaving but that would be akin to abandoning a ship that could be saved. But how?

Posted by: johndoe at May 15, 2006 6:37 PM

I can not even type what I'm thinking, but you can just read my mind.

Jihad in my backyard? LOL. Not likely.

Posted by: Foehammer at May 15, 2006 6:48 PM

Are the countries of the Western world simply supposed to succumb to demographic conquest? They can't stop all Muslim immigration? They can't make the practice of Islam harder rather than easier?

Hugh

What can the Israelis do about the Israeli Arab-Muslim birth rate? Would making the practice of Islam harder encourage those Israeli Arabs to leave Israel for Hamas-occupied terretories? From what I understand, Israeli Arabs are not allowed to travel to those areas (just as Indian Muslims aren't allowed to settle in Pakistan), as it would make it more difficult to re-conquer these places for Islam.

Posted by: Infidel Pride at May 15, 2006 8:36 PM

Know how you feel, Foehammer.
I feel the same!

9/11 was a declaration of war, the cartoon fiasco showed us all that they will not even allow free democracies to run their own papers. I see this as an escalation of war,,think about it.

Yesterday on a current affair show in OZ they told us Bibles were being removed,,,due to "multicultural sensibilities" and fear of infections - yeah,,right! (hope I don't catch pregnancy!)

In the same segment we were told jihad books are allowed to remain on sale and are not seditious.

This is going a lot faster than I thought it would. I don't like it, I hate reading about it all, yet I would feel worse sitting here and doing nothing.
And would someone please tell susan sarandon to shut up? Who gives a damn about what she has to say? None of us like wars but she won't look too good in a burka!

Posted by: Gramfan at May 15, 2006 8:42 PM

Gramfan,

Anytime Sarandon opens her mouth with something annoying, I just picture her in her underwear from 'Rocky Horror Picture Show', and then I think of that old saying: "Consider the source."

You can pretty much do that with 90% of Hollywood nowadays: different movies, same symptoms.

And they turn around and demonize a stalwart character like Chuck Heston. It's ridiculous. LOL.

Posted by: Foehammer at May 15, 2006 10:39 PM

But even if Israel has more faith in "Washington and 'international diplomacy' than in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," does that mean that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has turned against them?

Muslims wage Jihad in the name of their god, but they trust in the sword, and use the promise of paradise as an inducement to be a Shaheed.

For a Christian or Jew to beseech god is meek acceptance, a vain hope that god will intervene and save your skin.

See the difference?

To put it another way:

"To the meaningless French idealisms, of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, we present the German realities of Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery."
- Prince Bernhard von Bulow

Posted by: Nariz at May 15, 2006 10:53 PM

There is an aspect of unreality here.

What do you expect Israel to do? Constantly patrol and police intensely populated Palestinian areas?

Do you want to see them act like South Africa?

The ground they're giving up is effectively meaningless to the military security of the state.

The problem is that the areas will be used as a terrorist training ground.

Think of it this way, at the end of the day, after all the efforts that Israel has made for peace, there WILL BE NO PEACE, and that is going to free Israel's hand.

Blasting Sharon because he looked those grim facts in the eye and ENSURED that Jews would be the permanent majority within a JEWISH state of Israel.

Now how is it possible that such an action is irresponsible.

Yes, Israel has capitulated to pressure from the "international community."

But this isn't the first time that has happened. And there isn't any need then to go off in some jihad against Sharon.

The Israelis are desperately looking for some way to come to an accomodation with the Palestinians. They won't succeed. The Palestinians represent the sword point of jihad. And sooner or later the Israelis are probably going to have to do some very ugly things to remove that threat along their perimeter, and within their frontiers.

ON THE DAY AND HOUR of those somber events, and grisly doings, it will serve the Israeli people and psyche well to know that they bent over backwards searching for a peace, that could not be found.

Take the long view, and stop missing the overall forest for the trees.

Farah is flipping out, like Pat Robertson, that any delivery of Israeli held territory to anybody else is somehow against God's will.

Do we really know that?

This isn't the Golan's Heights we're talking about here.

What use was it to Israel to police Gaza? What did they get out of it? Has it really succeeded in blunting Palestinian terror attacks? Has it diminished Palestinian blood lust?

Are we really to believe that God ordains Israeli sovereignty over the Gaza strip, even though only a handful of Jews actually lived there, compared to how many Palestinians?

You know, I opposed the delivery of Sinai, because Sinai represented property of strategic MILITARY value. What value does Gaza have? Who is going to launch an attack, and use as a springboard the Gaza strip?

Right now, Israeli security rides on the wings of their aircraft, and moves on the treads of their tanks. Sinai is policed by elements of the 82nd Airborne, and thus is not a proper setting for the Egyptians to make a move on the Israelis. Thus the only military power capable of killing a good chunk of Israelis is the Syrians.

So for all of you foaming at the mouth about these territorial withdraws, forget about it. If you want to help the Israelis, urge them to move in strength on Damascus. And pressure our own government to take down and out the mullahs' Manhattan Project.

The threat to Israel is in that Manhattan Project.

And finally, there is a demographic time bomb ticking in Israel. THEY'RE not having enough little Jewish kids. But the Palestinians are breeding like, well, like muslims. In several decades, if there wasn't border adjustments, Jews would be a minority WITHIN THEIR own country.

Was that a tolerable situation?

Posted by: Dan at May 15, 2006 11:03 PM

Of course, one has to be discouraged at the leadership of Israel. I thought Kenneth Levin gave a superb explanation of the cultural factors undermining Israel today in his book, The Oslo Syndrome.

However, as much as Levin intended his analysis to be Israel-specific I was struck with the parallels with America and Europe. Israel is the West in microcosm. The denial of the Islamic threat, the self-flagellation, the moral doubt, the unearned self-blame, the repeated applications of appeasement, etc. – all too common through out the West; indeed, just different stages of the same malady. Yet, I can't be defeatist; it is itself another form of degeneration.

Posted by: JasonP at May 15, 2006 11:10 PM

The Israelis are recoiling, tensing, withdrawing unto themselves, like a coiled steel spring.

And they're holding that tension, despite the provocations, despite the bloodlettings, despite the knifings, despite the attacks. And it's getting harder and harder for them to hold firm, to not respond, to not go after them, to not unleash upon them.

The Israelis aren't getting weaker, rather they are building, building towards an explosion of fire and flame against their enemies.

Every accomodation, every attempt to live out the Oslo treaty, every attempt to meet in good faith the latest Palestinian official, is only making Israelis more and more fed up with this entire drama, in short, they're coming to view the entire "peace process" as pure bullshit.

And what do you think is going to happen when a significant majority of Israelis see the "peace process" as useless, and insulting.

What do you think is going to happen then?

We're going to see the Israeli Defense Force go out after their enemies in such a way, in such a comprehensive manner, that the Muslims will see that their God IS NOT GOD.

And that day is coming. Can't you guys see that?

Posted by: Dan at May 15, 2006 11:13 PM

Foehammer: after all that negative stuff you have managed to put a smile on my face re sarandon, and the rest of Hollywood,lol!!
Can't help but think of the Hollywood stars during WW2 who went to serve in whatever capacity they could - fighting or selling war bonds.True patriots! As for Mr Heston,,who could beat his Moses and El Cid?

Jason P: I agree Israel is the microcosm of the west. I think I have said it before and it is painfully true.

Dan: I hope you are right re Israel fighting back. I am not that confident.I worry that the whole of Israel will not only be the microcosm of the west, but will in fact become another Masada.

Posted by: Gramfan at May 15, 2006 11:31 PM

Oh Please!

Israel is not its current leaders. These "leaders" crept in by subterfuge and only received 29% of the vote, from a population that provided the lowest Israeli voter turnout ever. Their internal mandate is extremely shaky.

Former military leaders (Ya'alon), government leaders (Arens) and religious leaders within Israel are beginning to speak up.

Just as Achav HaMelech (King Ahab) did not represent the Jewish people, and his minister Ovadya had to hide 100 prophets in caves to save them, so the current government does not represent the Jewish people. Just as Achav illegally expropriated land within Israel through the machinations of his foreign wife Yzevel (Jezebel), daughter of the king of the Phoenicians, so the current Israeli government has illegally expropriated land within Israel through the machinations of malign foreign influences. I am no prophet, not the scion of a prophet, but if G-d provides justice in this world, just as Achav was brought down, and Jehu wiped out his house, this government will be brought down, and will crumble, and a better one will take its place.

There are deep divisions within Israel at this time, and I hope that they heal quickly, but you had better believe that many many people do not go along with the government policies. And if you don't accept my biblical comparisons, then take a look at the public opinion polls.

Posted by: HaMalach at May 16, 2006 12:01 AM

And if you yawn at public opinion polls, take a look at this, below. We take our military examples from Moshe, Yehoshua, Dovid, Pinchas, Otniel, Devorah, Balak. The list goes on. However, as many other than me and far wiser than me have said, the true war is not physical but spiritual.

***

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=103625
Former IDF Chief Ya´alon: "Israel´s Leaders Selling Illusions"
17:24 May 15, '06 / 17 Iyar 5766
by Ezra HaLevi

Former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon has broken his relative silence, decrying the entire notion of a Palestinian state, and urging Israel to be strong rather than appease the global Jihad.

The longtime warrior drew a comparison between the events leading up to the Holocaust and the present, comparing Ehud Olmert to Neville Chamberlain. "We look back to what the West experienced before World War Two," Ya'alon said. "There was denial of reality, denial of threat. The attitude was, 'Let's leave it to next year, to the next generation.' We don't need Chamberlains - we need Churchills. We are flooded with lies, manipulated by Al Qaeda, but, most prominently, by the Palestinians."

Ya'alon spoke at Manhattan's Lincoln Square Synagogue last Monday, registering harsh criticism of Israel's leadership for offering "illusions" to the Israeli people. Ya'alon was Chief of Staff up until just before the implementation of Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan, of which his criticism was well-known. His tenure was not extended and he was replaced with the current COS, Dan Halutz.

The retired general criticized the notion of withdrawing from parts of Judea and Samaria, in addition to the building of the Partition Wall, which he believes is an illusion in terms of security. "The best defense is a good offense, not a fence," he said. "The best way to deal with terrorists is to arrest them or kill them in their beds. The IDF has the intelligence capability to intercept terrorists. They use their civilians as human shields, knowing our sensitivities to killing civilians – but we do have the capability to intercept them in real time. Without dealing with the roots, we can cut down the weeds – to deal with the roots would be to force them to reform their education and culture. I am not sure we will succeed, but we should be under no pressure to make any concessions until this change."

Posted by: HaMalach at May 16, 2006 12:15 AM

HaMalach:
Hope you are right! You obviously know more than I do about Israeli politics. My fear is we are running out of time.

Posted by: Gramfan at May 16, 2006 12:21 AM

I don't believe that this is "land for peace". I think that the majority of Israelis are well aware that this is land for nothing.
The folly of the unilateral withdrawal philosophy is the assumption that the near-term results of unilateral withdrawal/security fence will be quiet and then more severe attacks (i.e. rockets), which since there will technically be no occupation (bear with me here...) will be a more traditional declaration of war, and give Israel the "right" to defend herself.

The problem is it's useless. If we need to wait until we have moral legitimacy in the eyes of the rest of the world to fight this war, we might as well go and drown ourselves now.

The scariest part of this is that if we Israelis, who are living on the cutting edge of the global jihad are still so deeply in denial of it, how long is it going to take until the rest of the west wakes up?

I admire Joseph Farah also and I understand and share his frustration.

Posted by: tagrafiti at May 16, 2006 1:45 AM

tagrafiti:

Then the majority of the Jews need to support the Torah and defend the Land.

"we might as well go and drown ourselves now"

You have no permission to drown yourselves.
You are not Egyptians.
You get the leader you are content with.

Sharon dunked his military leader (Ya'alon) who was totally aware of the jihad threat and prepared to take action. This means that the reversal to action is only just beneath the surface. A coiled spring, as Dan noted.

Gramfan:

All I can say to you is that Israeli response historically has always been in G-d's time, and not in human time. It has depended on a critical mass of Israelis (or Jews) being in connection with G-d. The number of that critical mass is up to G-d. This is, over and above anything else, a matter of faith.

Posted by: HaMalach at May 16, 2006 2:30 AM

great stuff Robert - there are a few of us out here who wont give up - enough of the pessimism - and dont ever underestimate the power of the western people to rise up when its really necessary - I for one will be staying in Europe and fighting the good fight!! - in the end I am sure we will triumph - the islamists WILL overplay their hand - islam WIll be exposed and the islamists WILL once again be ejected from Europe F.. Eurabia I hate that bloody name!!

Posted by: johnmac at May 16, 2006 6:32 AM

Isn't Israel going to be destroyed by the demographics in any case?

Posted by: Celsius at May 15, 2006 06:16 PM

The demographic jihad may be overstated by both sides -- and both for propaganda/strategic purposes. I'm not an expert on the topic, but it turns out that the Palestinians have grossly overstated their population statistics (how surprising) and people may underestimate the long-term implications of the growing number of Orthodox Jews in Israel who also have rather large families.

Posted by: waterdragon52 at May 16, 2006 8:22 AM

WE'RE ALL BEHIND YOU, MR. SPENCER, SO DON'T QUIT!

Way to go, Mr.Spencer ... please do NOT ever quit on Israel! If we read the Bible, we can see that even back then they were a "stiff-necked" people who were constantly trying the last nerve of GOD and Moses (even after all the plagues delivered to Egypt as a blow against every one of their gods and then GOD downed them in the water after letting the Israelites cross over first). Look all I know is that GOD chose them to be His "peculiar treasure" and their willingness to give up everything for the sake of a false peace has happened many times before. Suffice it to say that GOD knows all things that will occur at the end from the very beginning and someday you WILL understand, Mr. Spencer, & will be grateful you never took the Arabs' side. You have done an amazing work for GOD with this website and we're all behind you, OK? I even make xeroxes of some of your articles and leave them throughout the VA Hospital where my husband is being treated for cancer & emphysema, if that is of any comfort to you at all.

By the way, what books have you written on this subject matter that you could recommend to me? I'd
be very grateful ... and may GOD truly bless you &
all those you love and care about in Jesus' Name --amen.

Sincerely In Our LORD'S Love & Service:

MAKE A DIFFERENCE MINISTRIES

Posted by: KimEllen at May 16, 2006 8:46 AM

Viva Pelayo! Viva Roberto! No surrender, ever!

There's a line in G.K. Chesterton's "The Man Who Was Thursday" that I've always remembered. Of a seemingly undefeatable and very dangerous enemy, Gabriel Syme says: "Yes, of course I fear him. That's why I must fight him."

Posted by: Columba at May 16, 2006 9:48 AM

Is there the possibility that the moslems may start to slip out of Israel in anticipation of an iranian nuclear attack? If so, the gates should be locked behind them and none should be allowed to return.

Posted by: Infidel33 at May 16, 2006 11:26 AM

Hugh:
Israel has to be saved in spite of itself, and not abandoned. No matter how infuriating its mediocre leaders may be.

Posted by: Cynic at May 16, 2006 11:39 AM

Something ate the rest of my comment.

If I remember correctly that first sentence was used by some Left of Liberal some years ago.

Posted by: Cynic at May 16, 2006 11:44 AM

Come on people, CHEER UP! One day all will be well. And for those of you who are religious, everything will most certainly be well- according to what you believe. In any case, Jihadist ideology will crash and burn- there is only so much that people can stand. I think that this destruction of harmful ideology lies not in what we "Westerners" can do but in rather what the billion members of Islam decide to do. When they decide to cast of their chains (history shows numerous occasions) then we will see detente at a minimum. Until then- it is indeed a losing battle...

Posted by: Skeptic at May 16, 2006 4:35 PM

Some of you may be science fiction readers, and so are familiar with Larry Niven's "Man Kzin Wars." If you're not, a quick summary will suffice. The Kzin were angry, aggressive feline aliens who believed in their own inherent supremacy, and who attempted at every turn to prove it through conquest. They culturally abused and denigrated their females, stressed their young, and celebrated nothing but violence, war and death. Their contact with man resulted in centuries of war.

Their utter commitment and inner subservience to conquest would suggest their eventual victory. But they had one, repeating, predictable weakness: They always attacked just a little too soon.

We're seeing this with Muslims, pushing and pushing without the wherewithal to back it up when the rubber really hits the road. To belabor this metaphor, at some point the slaves of Allah will do something that will make an entire people finally climb into the Peterbilt and turn the key, and then no amount of buttock-hoisting to Heaven will save them from their position on the double yellow line.

Posted by: Marwan'sDaughter at May 16, 2006 5:13 PM

A good site for the supporters of Israel (needless to say i am an ardent one):

www.anglicansforisrael

Posted by: Polish infideless at May 16, 2006 5:56 PM

We should not give up on Israel, neither should Israel give up. It is the only true democracy in the Middle East. OK, they are surrounded by hostile neighbours but we have to ask WHY the jews are so hated. We have to get to the root of the problem. For Israel to pull out will not solve the problem.
We need to search for the truth, and that includes Muslims as well as non-Muslims.

Sarah.

Posted by: Virgo at May 16, 2006 6:31 PM

The Jews are hated because they are not MUSLIMS. Get it?

Posted by: tc399 at May 16, 2006 7:04 PM

The brilliant mahometans are hard at work diagnosing electronic problems and repairing the mobile phone network in Gaza:

"MOBILE PHONE RAID

Earlier on Tuesday, 20 Palestinian gunmen, angry after their phones stopped working, stormed the Gaza offices of mobile telephone company Jawwal, one of the biggest Palestinian commercial enterprises.

Jawwal said the gunmen forced employees to leave at gunpoint and then started firing into the building, damaging computers and furniture."

There, that ought to do it! What? Damn phones still won't work? Hand me that RPG!

Posted by: Infidel33 at May 16, 2006 7:24 PM

Here's one more statistic:

According to A7, an estimated (by police) 300,000 people in Israel turned up at the celebration today of the passing (1900 years ago) of the Jewish sage and mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi). They lit bonfires, sang, danced, prayed, etc. This is a rough estimate (probably not everyone was Israeli or Jewish)but bear with me: out of an Israeli population of 6 m, about 5 m are Jewish. Out of these 5 m, 300,000 or 16 percent more or less turned out and came up to Northern Israel to celebrate this most uncompromising Rabbi, who was openly anti-Roman (Rome was the USA of its day), narrowly escaped execution by hiding for 13 years, and made many rulings about all Jews sticking together, not to mention among his famous writings, the Zohar.

The spark is not dead; it simply needs to be reignited.

Posted by: HaMalach at May 16, 2006 8:01 PM