Shabbat Shalom and Happy 2010

31st December 2009.



Shabbat Shalom to you all – Shabbat Shalom and a fulfilling 2010



Personally I am quite relieved to see the 00's behind us and ready to turn over a new page and leap into the 10's!!



SMS/text messages, Skype, Facebook and Twitter, Webcams allowed me read bedtime stories to my grandchildren overseas but took away the intimacy of real conversations. We are living longer through unbelievable medical advances yet become hysterical over flu and through it all Israelis brought home more Nobel Prizes.



It was a decade where the sheer immensity of the terror imposed upon the world went beyond borders and beyond our wildest and most shocking imagination; buses, trains and planes became weapons of mass destruction and we had to learn a whole new vocabulary to say Islamic terrorists since the truth may offend someone!



It was the decade which taught me the meaning of real bravery as our nation lived through the horror of Intifada 2 and the kidnapping and murder of five young men to Hezb-Allah – the warriors of Allah. We came together because we are willing to risk hundreds more deaths of innocent victims in exchange for the child of Noam and Aviva. It was a decade when we came together with the people of the USA, of Bali, London, Moscow and a time when everyone seemed to care about Sderot. Most of all it was the decade which taught me that one should never give up hope because a miracle is always around the corner; it was the decade in which gave me the honour of loving Kinneret Chaya. Those of you who have not met Kinneret Chaya through my letters – ask me and I will send you her story- to everyone else I will give you news to brighten all hopes for the next decade… Kinneret Chaya and Amir are expecting another baby in January!!!



Last decade I heard the sweetest words imaginable "Safta Sheila" as four of our five children gave us 9 wonderful little people – we became grandparents!



For the next decade

I pray for leaders who possess greater understanding and bravery; leaders who are prepared to defend us and our way of life; leaders who recognize and have the intelligence to differentiate between friend and foe; we need to be proud of ourselves, our countries and our achievements; we, like our leaders, need to find the inner strength to stand up and create a world that we want to leave for our grandchildren. We need to care enough to be indignant and lobby until we become effective.

I pray for a world able to laugh at itself

I pray for the ability to fight for what I believe in yet be willing to listen to other views.

I pray for the strength to stand up for myself and my people

I pray for a generation which will grow up willing to see the other side while holding fast to their faith and beliefs.

I pray for justice, no more no less – justice in the judgment of Israel.

I pray for a time when all I write about is Mahane Yehuda, Shouk Ramle, the Old City, the wild cyclamen in the Valley of the Cross and of course our guests who sit and admire amazing view from our veranda.



Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem City of our dreams and our prayers.

Wishing you a fabulous 2010 which will give us all hope, joy, laughter and fulfillment to carry us all the way through till 2020



With all our love



Sheila and of course Zvi