Israeli astronaut pride of a nation

The Daily Telegraph ^ | February 1, 2003 | The Daily Telegraph

[MadIvan]

Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli national in space, was " fulfilling everyone's dream, to be the first Israeli in space," according to Israel's Channel Two.

Ilan Ramon

His father was at the television studio as the country waited for touch-down, with a live broadcast from Cape Canaveral. Ramon was 48, an air forced colonel with considerable flight experience. He was the son of a holocaust survivor.

He has served during the Yom Kippur war in 1973, and in Lebanon in 1982. He was involved in the destruction of an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.

Ramon had been preparing to join a shuttle mission since 1997, and joined Columbia as a payload specialist. He was conducting research on how desert dust and over contaminants in the atmosphere effected rainfall and temperature.

The nation as a whole had followed the progress of the mission, and felt a great deal of pride in Ramon. Tom Segev, the Israeli author, said last month: "It's a distraction from the feeling that this country is in really bad shape, the feeling of desperation, of helplessness, confusion, anger and fear."

[nicmarlo]

I do think, however, He is testing our will.

And, perhaps, our faith. I feel compelled to post the following Psalm, as I think it would be well to remember His promise of comfort and strength to us:

Psalm 23
A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

[unspun]

About these banners...

So thankful that the one who left behind an empty cross will sit on the throne of David forever.

[nicmarlo]

Amen, unspun....and so glad He did not leave us here utterly alone and disinterested in Man.

[unspun]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/834046/posts?page=32#32

[nicmarlo]

Buzz Aldrin captured it this morning. He tried to read a poem about astronauts on television. He read these words: "As they passed from us to glory, riding fire in the sky." And tough old Buzz, steely-eyed rocket man and veteran of the moon, began to weep.

He was not alone.

No, he most assuredly was not. Thanks for the ping to that thread, unspun. 'Tis an emotionally sad day, I think, for all.

[reg45]

The Islamic world is already rejocing in the streets....Word from Baghdad is that the consider this "Allah's revenge"......

So typical and so expected...

Our hero's die trying to advance mankind and liberate humanity, their hero's die blowing up school busses, women and children...

NeverGore

Dear NG,

Another aspect of the difference ...

There are no Muslims on the starship Enterprise!

[unspun]

If Israel - the son on the altar foreshadowing Jesus Himself has a descendant having taken part in destroying the nuclear warfare facility in Iraq, who now has his remains sprinkled from the heavens over the town of Palestine, in the home state of the US President who is about to invade Iraq...

...I hope I'd have pause for sober thought about such a momentus event.

This is hardly a time for gloating in lands of Babylon.

[cynwoody]

He was involved in the destruction of an unfinished Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.

That would be Israel's destruction of Saddam's plutonium factory at Osirak.  Col. Ramon did 22 years ago what American pilots are going to be doing again real soon now ...

[Sonar5]

A Memorial I did this morning in Photoshop.

I am using this for my desktop. Feel free to use it or post
it anywhere you like.

The Background was taken by Digital Camera from this
shuttle mission.

The rest of the pics are from Nasa's website.

There is a larger version on my website here:

http://home.attbi.com/~Sonar5/Shuttle/memorial-sts-107.jpg


Regards,
Joe

[reg45]

You didn't get it. What I was trying to say is that Islam will not be a part of the advanced human civilization that will go to the stars. They will stay on Earth, living in their preferred seventh century civilization until the sun explodes eight billion years from now.

[unspun]

You didn't get it....

Yes I did, but thanks for the explication - was sympathizing, not arguing. I took a few moments and read about Mohammed and know what? Jerry F. was right; unless the history's way off, he was a terrorist. Whaddyaknow? 8-o

[unspun]

Thank you v.m., Sonar5. It's up on my notebook pc now.

ALL: PLEASE POST MORE INFO ON OUR HERO ILAN ON THIS THREAD.

I'd like to get to know him better.

[unspun]

As our President quoted, "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls them each by name, because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing...."

http://www.biblegateway.com/bgaudio/english/niv/hurl?passage=isa+40

[SJackson]

Israel Defense Forces Creates Condolence E-Mail Address for Family of Col.
Ilan Ramon
IDF Spokesperson Sunday, February 02, 2003

The Israel Defense Forces has created a special e-mail address where the
world public may express their condolences to the Ramon Family and to the
people of the State of Israel on the loss of Col. Ilan Ramon in the Columbia
Space Shuttle tragedy.

The e-mail address is: ilanfamily@mail.idf.il

All letters received by the IDF will be presented to the Ramon family.

[Tax-chick]

Thanks for posting this; I'll have to look later.

For some reason I can't even look at the picture of Col. Ramon without falling to pieces, and all these kids need lunch.

I feel strongly that God will use this tragedy to do a mighty work in the hearts of Americans and Israelis, perhaps to make us worthy of these sacrifices.

[SJackson]

Wish I could find an EMail address for the other six heros, but I've searced to no avail.

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I had the ambition to not only go farther than man had gone before, but to go as far as it was possible to go.
Captain James Cook