180128
28th
January 2018
It was
the best of times it was the worst of times, so said Sydney Carton in A Tale of
Two Cities. It is a time of huge achievement and a time of unutterable
misanthropy, so said Sheila Raviv in Jerusalem.
It is with
enormous pride that I begin with the great achievement of our friend, Zvi's childhood
friend, Professor Gabriel Barkay. Gabby has been named as a recipient of
the coveted title "Yakir Yerushalyim" – Beloved of Jerusalem.
Gabby is a renowned archaeologist but his work to return the earth dug out and
discarded by Sheik Rayeed Salah from underneath the Temple Mount has, over the
last 11 years, revealed vast numbers of priceless relics of our history
including pre-First Temple. When the various authorities told him it was too
dangerous to go and retrieve the hundreds of truckloads of ancient earth Gabby
was undaunted. I am so proud of him. http://www.janglo.net/component/option,com_adsmanager/page,display/tid,436994/catid,99/Itemid,361/
Among
the worthy recipients is Professor Avi Rifkind, who during the Second
Intifada created the Hadassah Trauma Unit, saving the lives of innumerable
patients; Chef Shalom Kadosh who, in his humble manner, has done so much
to ensure that Israeli and Jerusalem epicurean delights are known throughout
the world. Chef Kadosh organised the amazing King David's Feast to celebrate
Jerusalem 3000, with major chefs from all over the world, all producing
incredible dishes using only kosher ingredients.
I don't
know if I would go so far as to call John Kerry a misanthrope, but in my
secret thoughts I do. Zvi and I met him some 12 years ago and were deeply
unimpressed, finding him an utterly unsympathetic and harsh character from
every aspect. His "work" during the Obama Administration caused many
deaths in the Middle East and now his true character is once again emerging. In
"private" meetings with Hussein Agha, personal advisor to Mahmoud
Abbas, Kerry advised them to ignore the Trump Administrations negotiations "to
stay strong in spirit and play for time and not break and not yield to Trumps
demands". The word is that he intends running for the Presidency. G-d help
America. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-
Apparently
the Administration in the USA is in shutdown. What on earth is shutdown?
Anyway I looked it up and discovered it happens quite frequently!!!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States
The
Mike and Karen Pence
visit to Jerusalem was both emotional and important. His speech in the Knesset,
his stammered uttering of the Hebrew prayer "Shehechiyanu, vekimanu,
vehigiyanu lzman hazeh" Who has given us life, sustained us and brought us
to this day. During the Vice President's speech the members of the Arab List
suddenly held up placards announcing "Jerusalem is the Capital of
Palestine" breaking every conceivable ethical and moral code of Knesset
Protocol. It is high time they decided if they represent Israeli Arabs or
Palestine – currently they do not represent their constituency here in Israel.
The
usual formalities took place, visits to both the Prime Ministers and the
Presidents homes, to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial, their stay at the King
David, all were reported; his announcement that the US Embassy would move to
Jerusalem within a year caused the usual ripples; his private visit to the
Kotel, the Western Wall, with his wife was considered a hugely positive visit
except for a few Israeli women journalists who strongly objected to the
"mechitsa", the fence which divides men and women at the site. Had
they just turned around they could have captured a story the men could not –
Karen Pence quietly reciting the Psalms at the women's section. I know my words
may be unpopular but these same women tend to admire major women journalists
such as Christiane Annapour and Lyse Doucet who cover their heads and arms in Arab
countries in order to show respect – I have never been a fan of double
standards. Had they spent more time working instead of complaining then they
would have also captured some truly amazing photographs as did Sharon Marks
Altshul. Since a picture is worth a thousand words…….. http://www.baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=37&ARTICLE_ID=98045
Israel
is a tiny country.
For many years, because of our open door policy, African immigrants suffered
the horrors of a long trek and the cruelty of the Sinai Bedouin in order to
cross into Israel. Some were genuine asylum seekers but the vast majority are
work seekers. It was against Jewish moral code to throw them out which sadly
left us with a conundrum that is appears to have no solution. To allow them all
to stay here, tens of thousands, is not an option, to discover who are genuine
asylum seekers and who are not is virtually impossible and the option of
sending back from whence they came seemingly immoral. The option of sending
them to a third country is, however, an option. The cries from outside Israel
are loud and harsh but when one think about it, their treatment here is better
than most countries where they would be held in jail at the airports, in mean
conditions, until deportation. The hypocrisy on the subject is phenomenal. In
the USA currently there is outrage at the Presidents statements on illegal
immigration but…….. wait…….. isn't that exactly what President Clinton said
just a few years ago? https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4351026/clinton-1995-immigration-sotu&start=3790
Yohanatan
Geffen is a poet,
some would say a major Israeli poet. That he is on the left is fine, we need
diversity of thought especially in the arts but, what is left and what goes too
far? In a recent poem he compared Ahed Tamimi to Anne Frank and Hannah Senesh.
Who is Ahed Tamimi? The 16 year old Palestinian girl who since the age of 6 or
7 has goaded, punched, kicked, hit and spat at Israeli soldiers to great
attention from the international press. Yohanatan Geffen, nephew of Moshe
Dayan, father of Aviv Geffen – shame on you.
Last
week, in my extremely hurried missive, I spoke of people we met on the cruise.
One morning as we sat at breakfast I noticed the two wonderful boys at the next
table "Your children are so well behaved they are a pleasure" I told
the parents. We began talking, Carla and Alex Tetievsky and their two boys are
from Argentina, now living outside Barcelona and travel some 120 kilometres
each week to bring their boys to Kabbalat Shabbat in Barcelona. We became firm
friends and it seems they have never been to Israel but want to. My dream is that
they will come to our home for Pesach. We also met up with and became friends
with Jaquie and David Sackwild from London which was great fun as we travelled
around the Canary Isles together. Indeed, as I have recently learned, our habit
of talking to everyone, loving new people, getting to hear of their lives is
perhaps the healthiest route to stay young.
This
has been a good week.
On Tuesday I met with my friend Merav at the beautiful coffee shop in the
"Shalva" building. We had a marvellous time, chatting about
everything and then as we left we remembered……… The Pence retinue was on its
way to Yad Vashem, very close to where we were, and we were stuck. Thinking I
was very clever I turned left ionstead of right and Merav, also thinking I was
very clever followed me. We spoke about 10 times as we sat immobile!! Finally
she said she had turned and was on her way home, my route cleared as the bus
that was stuck beside the road works got through and we both put it down to
"That's Life" when US dignitaries come to visit!!!!
In a
few minutes I must leave you for a while and head off with Zvi to the Jerusalem
Press Club in the glorious Yemin Moshe neighborhood overlooking the Old City
walls descending and then ascending the 150 steps to the JPC, to hear Brigadier
General Yossi Kuperwasser speak. I will report!!! Oh my goodness that was
incredible! What a genius speaker! We covered Iran, the Shia-Sunni power
struggle; European blindness; the importance of the new American alliances; the
importance of moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem (if you remember I have
been saying that for ages); the poor me attitude of the PA is wearing thin with
the world – it is no longer sufficient excuse for failing as an authority or
getting funding for terror. As soon as the video is put onto the Jerusalem
Press Club site I will put it on FB.
In life
if one is really lucky, friends become family. So it has been with the Selig
family. My Daniel and Justin became firm friends at Carmel College and Justins
parents Daphne and Abba, his sister Eliana with my Rachel became inseparable. Daniel
and Justin did their "gap year" together in Canada, the USA and
Israel. As time went on Daniel went to the USA and Justin and Daniella to
London where the friendship continued with Gideon and Stephanie. Special
people. Last year we lost Ivan (Abba) and a few days ago Daphne went to her
peace. The world was a better place for their lives. Miss them but they were
meant to be together. May their souls rest in peace. Love you Paddy.
In 1979
Israel didn't try to be "international" for the Eurovision Song
Contest. We sang in Hebrew and sang a very Israeli song with Galia Atari's
lovely voice at front. We won https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33kO3fvjkI
The
legendary Bob Marley loved Israel, loved Jerusalem. He passed that love
on to his son Ziggy, who later married an Israeli woman! "If you
have no past you have no future" In concert in Jerusalem Ziggy sings about
tomorrows people "How long will you last without remembering your past"
Wise words https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCxrd1HDgMU
On the
same theme, but from a very different singer – Matisyahu and Bob
Marleys's Jerusalem https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYr4Fz14C6w
The
sunrise each morning gets more and more spectacular lighting the view from our
veranda with magenta, red and orange flashes of colour, as the sun rises behind
the scuttering clouds. Gosh I am a lucky person.
Tomorrow
is going to be stormy,
rain, hail, thunder and lightening with a chance of snow in Jerusalem – already
snowing heavily on the Hermon – so we are going to stay overnight at Noga and
Amiad's new home. They have set us up with our own King-size bed for my King
size husband, and the children, Ella and Yonatan, are already over-excited at
the thought. On Shabbat the family arrive for Ellas 5th birthday
party. Afterwards Zvi and I will go to eat cholent with Nomi and Daniel Furman,
after all we are already in Tel Aviv!!!!
We wish
you a beautiful Shabbat, a Shabbat of joy and peace, with friends and family.
With
love from our Jerusalem
Sheila
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