211224
24th
of December 2021
Shabbat
Shalom and a blessed Christmas to everyone.
In our
strange, surreal circumstances brought about by a virulent virus I think all of
us have lost touch of time passing. Yes it is almost the end of 2021 and our
hopes are for a kinder 2022, one in which we can hug our families.
The
other day I was talking to my sister Doreen, reminiscing our childhood as we
often do, and the fascinating facts of Christmas in a traditional, Masorti,
Jewish home. We always had a turkey dinner but never on Christmas day, always
on Boxing Day which is an important day in the British calendar. Mummy used to
do the turkey, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts etc, although we always started
with Lokshen soup and ended with her special bread pudding – my Bubbey's
recipe! It represented a day on which the whole family was together because nobody
was working. It was also a celebration of my big sister Eddie's birthday!
Growing
up in Wales, which
at that time was a devoutly Christian country, gave the small Jewish community
an insight into the lives of others, we didn't close ourselves within our own religious
enclave, which created an acceptance of the other, of other religions that
could only come from shared experience. My children grew up in a similar
environment in the town of Reading in Royal Berkshire, the sense of sharing
continued. We used to invite our Christian neighbours to our Chanuka parties
and the children used to help them dress the Christmas tree – they also invited
us for a glass of traditional, highly alcoholic, punch; a wonderful mixture of
apple cider, spirits and spices – especially cinnamon bark, cloves and cardamom.
Mutual respect was the order of the day and it brought so much joy!
What's
Boxing Day I hear the non-Brits say! Well there are many responses so let's try
a few and you choose which one you prefer.
1.
It was a day off for servants and
employees who had worked so hard cooking and preparing for Christmas lunch in
the big houses and mansions and they went home with boxes of delicious
left-overs.
2.
It was the day that public servants
called to get their "Christmas Box" which instead of food turned into
a great big tip – and if your tip wasn't big enough then the Bin-Men (garbage
collectors) used to forget to empty your bins or even worse, would tip them
over!!
3.
The 26th of December
(Boxing Day) is also St. Stephen's Day. St. Stephen was the patron saint of horses
so it has become the day for horse racing, hunting (no longer with foxes) and
as a by-product for Rugby matches too.
4.
It was the day that one took boxes of
gifts to the Alms Houses in recognition of the giving at Christmas
5.
I shouldn't have said that if you
aren't British you won't know what it is because it is celebrated in the entire
British Commonwealth and Ireland!
Christmas
in Israel is different, the neighbours don't have trees but Jerusalem and
Nazareth have Santa Claus, sometimes arriving on a camel rather than reindeer, but
still wearing the essential red outfit, white beard and padded stomach, who
hand out gifts for the children. The Jerusalem municipality gives out trees
that are small enough for an apartment but big enough to carry the traditional
baubles. This year everything will be quieter because the pilgrims cannot get
here thanks to Covid. Bethlehem will have the tree in Manger Square and of
course Midnight Mass will take place but in a very limited fashion, as will St
John's Church, St. George's Church and the exquisitely beautiful YMCA. I always
remember when I first arrived in Israel; Zvi took me to a Carol Concert at the
Brigham Young University Campus on Mount Scopus. The decorations were amazing
in the concert hall and the view over Jerusalem from the huge windows behind
the choir took my breath away and I will never forget Zvi's expression as I
merrily sang along with all the Christmas Carols, but that's how I grew up,
religious Jewish but able to enjoy my surroundings!
A
few Christmas tree facts!
Did you
know that originally they had nothing to do with Christmas? They began in
Europe, on the 24th of December, which apart from being Christmas
Eve, is actually Adam and Eve Day! No I didn't know that either! My goodness
how things evolve!
The Jerusalem
Music Academy has many international students and in their honour a big
Christmas tree was erected to help them celebrate since many cannot get home.
Since
the huge Russian immigration many trees are appearing yet they are not
Christmas trees! In Russia the traditional pine tree represented Novi Grod or
New Year, after all it is the Gregorian Calendar!!
I ought
to give you a quick insight into the goings on here in Israel, as much as I
would love to continue my journey down memory lane and Christmas trivia!
Hazza
Al Mansouri
isn't Israeli, yet two years ago when, as an astronaut from the United Arab
Emirates, he flew to the International Space Station, he took an Israeli flag
with him. Remember that this was before the Abraham Accords. This week, Hazza
took that flag to the Israeli Pavilion in the Dubai Expo and presented it to
the representatives. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hy200brgjt
Israel
has placed a Covid travel ban to many countries including the USA, Canada,
UK, UAE etc, in an act of self-protection. Some claim that it is an act against
Olim who want to fly to see their families while others claim that it is an act
against the Jewish Diaspora that wants to visit Israel. Of course, to rational
thinkers it is neither, it is purely and simply to protect against the rampant
advance of new mutations and variants coming into Israel.
Israeli
medical innovation
is alive and well. A new drug which halts the progress of Covid in those severely
affected has gone for approval to the FDA. There is hope. Also the nasal spray
which prevents contagion of Covid and many other viruses.
Mansour
Abbas is a Member of Knesset, and the current government, for the United
Arab List and a Member of the Moslem Brotherhood. He is also one of the Deputy
Speakers of the Knesset. Abbas has never identified as anything but Pro-Palestinian
but this week he spoke out about the Israel denial attitude of most of his
fellow Arab politicians. "The State of Israel was born as a Jewish state, and the
question is how we integrate Arab society into it. We are at the beginning of
the partnership," he added, "but I believe in it. You can't wait for
change without creating a new reality. We always demanded change without moving
forward. Instead of waiting for it to happen before there would be a
partnership, Ra'am came along and said 'Let's form a partnership that will
bring the change." A true sign of hope
The
Knesset discussions on the Egalitarian Section of the Western Wall have
come to a temporary halt. It isn't that they don't want to pass the new
regulations allowing a broader congregation to pray at the Wall, but rather
discussion as to how it will be carried out. Prime Minister Bennet is very much
in favour but this is a democracy and discussion is essential.
Misunderstandings of this subject have caused a rift with communities in the
Diaspora, essentially in the USA.
Over
27,000 new immigrants
arrived in Israel over the last year. They emigrated from (we call it coming
home) from every corner of the globe and every type of community finding
themselves a new life. Welcome home to each and every one of them.
Rain,
rain, don't go away!! We have had four days of real rain! It was classed a
storm and given a name, "Carmel" and although most of the country
didn't feel the storm quality there were certainly incidents. Trees uprooted and
Tel Aviv, Holon and other stretches along the coastline suffered flooding but
we were lucky it wasn't worse. When we look at the tragic storms of Kentucky
and the Philippines we have to thank our stars. Hopefully the parched earth
will benefit and the winter rain will lead to a green spring. Our veranda has
certainly benefitted, the rain washing away the dust and sand of the summer and
autumn, emitting a beloved aroma of new life. The early mornings brought many
fabulous sunrises over the misty panorama of Jerusalem, shadows of the hills
peeking through the rain. I love this season – it isn't spectacular but it
brings hope of Spring hope of a new and better year.
If you
aren't European you won't remember Anne Marie David who won the Eurovision Song
Contest in 1973 for Luxembourg despite being French/Moroccan! She is not Jewish
but has always loved Israel and she arrived here this week to sing with the
wonderful Sassy Keshet who is moving away from his usual Yiddish songs to sing
with her in French. Here's her 1973 winning song – see how formal everyone was
then! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtIm4nRWvO4
New
Year resolutions are usually forgotten by January the 6th, but in
Judaism the atonement, the change of heart, is supposed to continue throughout
the year. The next song, performed
by Sassi Keshet and David d'Or is about the promise we make to change. 'Master
of Forgiveness, Examiner of Hearts, we have sinned before Thee, have mercy upon
us" It's an acceptance that we aren't perfect but pray to be better –
surely good for 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqvXhdkrqIA
Tom
Jones is essentially Welsh, has never tried to hide his Pontypridd accent; he
is also, by chance is a regular visitor to Israel. Here, a very young Jones
reads from Dylan Thomas's witty, descriptive "A Child's Christmas"
along with the Treorchy Male Voice Choir singing all our favourite Carols. I
love it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfDnCYN015c
Last
week I found it difficult to tell you all that it was two years since losing my
beautiful eldest son Daniel. I just couldn't put it on paper because it made it
real. However, since then I have been reading the beautiful words written by
his patients and parents on the website of Uptown Pediatrics and Mount Sinai
Hospital where he worked and it helped. Also knowing that all of us, all the
family wherever we may be, are ensuring that his good name and incredible
generosity of spirit will endure.
I wish
all my amazing Christian readers a beautiful and Blessed Christmas. I hope you
will be able to spend it with family but even if it is on Zoom, I hope you will
feel the love.
I wish
you all a Shabbat Shalom, Happy Birthday to my big sister Eddie in Toronto and
remember – there are always blessings, you just have to recognise them.
With
all my love
Sheila
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