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15th November 2015
Shabbat Shalom everyone – friends, foes, family and acquaintances – may you all live in peace. When the noise around us abates, we find inner peace so please may our enemies find love, conciliation, tolerance, amity, peace………. The world has turned upside down, morals gave way to greed, ethics to politics and honesty to interests. Evil is rewarded, democracy ignored and appeasement is the order of the day. This time I am not sure anyone will stand up against the enemy – Winston Churchill left no heir.
Israel was very sad this week. Yitzchak Navon, 5th President of Israel, passed away at the age of 94. Arguably the most beloved of Presidents, a brilliant linguist, playwright, author, who spoke Yiddish with equal fluency to his beloved Ladino Yitzchak Navon, 10th generation Jerusalemite, will be missed. May his soul rest in peace. http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/aboutisrael/state/pages/yitzhak%20navon.aspx
It was hard to discover the truth behind the double-speak of Presidential spokespeople, but apparently the meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu was fruitful and amicable. We'll see.
Well, the European Union found a strange way of remembering Kristallnacht, they voted to deny the labelling of all goods made over the green line as Israeli, irrespective of the site of the parent company. This brilliant move could well cause 20,000 Palestinians to lose their employment (which only in Israel includes all social rights) but the cause is obviously more important than the results. I repeat and repeat – the answer lies not in whining about antisemitism but in positive labelling of all products, innovations and initiatives that emanate from this little country with an Israeli flag. Not just the essential drugs and medical aids, but foodstuffs and technology – I want to see them trying to take their cellphones and computers apart to take out the so-labelled parts or better still, removing their Israeli heart stents!! It isn't that Europe chose to boycott all countries that have border disputes or all countries that have questionable human rights issues……… they chose Israel. Europe gave in to hatred, racism and injustice, again.
The Wave has broken over Europe, again. Goebbels lies have won the populace, again. Nothing new under the sun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFnH1c91d9Q
At least two Mayors stood up to the BDS racism. One is the Mayor of Munich http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Mayor-of-Munich-bars-use-of-city-rooms-for-anti-Israel-and-BDS-events-432683 and the other, who has been against any such move from the beginning, is Boris Johnson, Mayor of London. Johnson said, "I cannot think of anything more foolish" than to boycott "a country that when all is said and done is the only democracy in the region, the only place that has in my view a pluralist open society."
My Facebook friends already know that I went to hear the Mayor speak at Mishkenot haShaananim (The houses of those who dare), where he was eloquently introduced by Daniel Taub, Ambassador for Israel to the Court of St James. The two are clearly friends and Johnson's support for Israel unquestioned. The Lecture was the first in what will hopefully become a series of Winston Churchill lectures. Boris Johnson, in addition to eight years as Mayor of London has also written a scholarly work on Winston Churchill. He spoke of Churchill's affiliation to the Jewish State and his determination that such a state will come into being. Johnson spoke with enormous eloquence and infinite wit, the tough audience unable to hold back their laughter at his self-effacing humour.
I have to thank Steve Linde, Editor of the Jerusalem Post and true gentleman, for getting me in to the lecture because I was late in booking and would have missed it but for his ingenuity. Thanks Steve.
My response to the European Union, indeed to BDS, must come from the community. Buy Israeli goods, complain when they are taken from the shelves. STAND UP AND BE COUNTED! Don't be weeds, be strong sunflowers and reach upwards.
If you think the EU decision will help the ordinary Palestinian, check out the huge par in financial status http://jcpa.org/article/luxury-alongside-poverty-in-the-palestinian-authority/
Hillel Neuer of UN Watch - I am sorry to announce that IRAN just won a leadership role in UNESCO influencing world education, science & culture.
We cannot forget that day 40 years ago when good men were not afraid to stand on their beliefs. US Ambassador to the UN Patrick Moynihan speaking to quash the proposition that Zionism is Racism. "The United States rises to declare before the General Assembly of the United Nations, and before the world, that it does not acknowledge, it will not abide by, it will never acquiesce in this infamous act." http://www.unwatch.org/moynihans-moment-the-historic-1975-u-n-speech-in-response-to-zionism-is-racism/
The USA targetted Jihadi John, the Kuwait/British beheader of ISIS who threatened to return to Britain and behead all who oppose Islam. They are 99% certain that he is dead. Let us pray they are right although it is too late, an entire generation of jihadists follow his example as their hero.
Perhaps now is the time to see this video which shows the harm, banality, inanity of PC for PC's sake. It diminishes the incredible work of those who fought for equal rights – true equal rights http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/new-short-film-reveals-how-political-correctness-is-tearing-the-world-apart/
Gosh a page and a half already, I must give you the remainder of the news in a somewhat less wordy fashion!
Earl Cox, one of natures true gentlemen, is in Jerusalem. Earl is a true Christian whose tolerance knows no bounds unless you criticize Israel!!! We met some 12 years ago and I was instantly taken with Earls utterly selfless love of Israel. Unlike many he does not ask for money he asks only for loyalty. Earl and his Kathleen now have numerous radio and television slots in the USA and worldwide. Earl and Kathleen built shelters for children in Sderot and many other quiet kindnesses. I took Earl to the Jerusalem Press Club to hear a talk and Q&A with Dr. Thabet Abu Ras and Amnon Be`eri-Sulitzeanu from the Abraham Fund http://www.abrahamfund.org/. Both of us were pleasantly surprised by the tolerance and sense of their aims and achievements. The question of whether one can be both Israeli and Palestinian when one is an Israeli Arab was addressed. Good men. Eating lunch with Earl at the University Coffee Shop Zvi and I were reminded of how proud we are to call him friend. http://israelalways.com/
We all know the @ sign means at….. @gmail………@hotmail………@home…….. but this is a Jewish country and almost no-one knows it is AT…. Here the sign @ is called a strudel! Therefore my address would be sheerav, strudel, gmail, nekuda, com. Ha ha!
Your first song is one of both beauty and tolerance. It is called Shalom lecha dodi – Peace to you friend. I wish it had a translation because the words express our wish to live in peace with everyone but I will let David D'Ors voice, words and music do the work https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbVoAAPCJkc
Vehi sheamda, I have given you this song many times but I particularly love this version, Yaakov Shwekey with Shlomi Shabbat – a prayer to God, our thanks that he promised to deliver us from the enemies that come with each generation to threaten our being. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnnKFpiP1hs If you wonder why so many soldiers, Yaakov Shwekey always gives a large portion of his show tickets to the IDF.
Finally, the wonderful children of Kinderlach sing Shalom Aleichem, the song with which we welcome Shabbat, standing around the Shabbat table the childrens faces shining with expectation in the reflection of the white tablecloth and the candles. I love this song and am prepared to give it to you in every form! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrtgoYYApF0
Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, the very heart of our prayers for 2,000 years of dispersion. We are here, this isn't the first time we have been persecuted and apparently it will not be the last. Just remember that those Empires that did us evil no longer exist and we, we keep coming back. Just remember, we were enslaved, now we are not. We were afraid, now we are not. We were exiled, but now we have our own country and nobody, but nobody will exile us again.
With love, all our love
Sheila
If the media does not inform us we must inform the media
Sheila's blog http://shabbatshalom-theviewfrommyveranda.blogspot.com/
Facebook Sheila Silver RavivInvolvement http://www.impact-se.org/ http://www.yurishtern.org.il/eng/content.php?id=17
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