Yes, Marit, we will ALL miss "his mature, secure, levelheaded leadership." We will all miss a Leader with Baytzim. Yascha Koach, Arik The Lionhearted.

Thanks for your article, and for your insights.Truely a great man... He will be missed by many.

This op-Ed piece is a beautiful. If I could cross the ocean instantly, I would hug the writer. Writer, thank you for writing this.

We have been missing Arik for a long time.

B"H - Is Ariel Sharon Jewish? The answer is: No! "His mother was Vera a Russian Goya that converted reform and never kept mitzvoth so she died a Goya and that makes him a goy" - I protect the identity of my source in fear of retaliation.

without giving sources !

If his father was Jewish that is enough for me. After what Sharon did for Israel he deserve respect ...

B"H - As this is a major embarrassment for the state Yitzhak, I can. One. Two, there is more: I have a friend who has a friend who overheard a conversation between Sharon and the chief "rabbi" of the IDF, offering him conversion, which he refused, saying that it is good enough to be Israeli. Now, why would a "rabbi" offer conversion to a Jew? Hm? Three, you bring in proof of him being Jewish! What proof do you have?

It is a shame that a great military hero like Ariel Sharon lost his share in the World to Come. Anyone who hands over Jewish property to the Non Jews in a moser and loses his share in the World to Come.(Shulchan Aruch , Choshen Mishpat Ch. 388) He joins other Jewish leaders who also lost their share in the World to Come like Achav, Yerovam and Menashe (Sanhedrin 90a)

B"H - The only problem with your thesis Yossi, is that Jews consider the maternal linage.

and descendants.

Arik fought fiercely for Israel. His withdrawal from Gaza was based on a written promise/contract that the area falsely referred to as the "west bank" by western media would be retained Israel. He was more Jewish than the bunch of fools now negotiating the give-away of more Jewish land.

Sharon was PM when he ordered the Gaza withdraw, like everything in politics it was a gamble. He was under pressure from Bush to get the peace process going, and if he gave up Gaza which the majority of the public didn't want anyway the heat would be off to make the big concession Gaza was a mistake but Sharon also had has big achievements especially in the military He was one of the greatest generals the IDF and hellped turn the tide in 1973. As PM before Gaza he was one of the most popular in years and served for 5 years so he was obviously doing some things right. History should judge him by his achievements as well as his failures rather than any individual incident.