Friday, 17 October 2025

Trump and Sweet Returns

 

17th of October 2025

25th of Tishrei 5786

 

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends, Shabbat Shalom to all of those who spent even one day in Hamas captivity and came home and Shabbat Shalom to the families of those who did not survive the 741 days of Hamas torture.

 

This weeks parasha, , reading is a providential foresight. Taken from Isaiah 42

To open the eyes that are blind to bring prisoners out to confinement and those who sit in darkness out of the dungeon

 

Did you realise how extraordinary we are, we Israelis? Just two days after their loved ones were finally returned home, battered, broken, and scarred in body and soul after enduring unthinkable suffering in captivity, many of the families of the former hostages went to the funerals of those who never came back. They didn’t take time to recover or to hide from the world; they went to stand beside the bereaved, to cry with them, to hold them, to remind them that grief shared is grief slightly less heavy. Irrespective of race or religion, Bedouin, Druze, Muslim or Jew, in those long, harrowing months, they had become one family united by pain, endurance, and love deeper than words. And so they came, because that’s what family does. Matan Angrest, still haunted by his time in the dark tunnels, stood at the grave of Daniel Perez z”l, his fallen officer, and spoke, his voice shaking, of bravery beyond call. Two days after coming home, he came not to be comforted, but to comfort. That’s who we are, a people wounded but unbroken, bound by compassion for each other’s pain. Symbolically, the hostages came to freedom through Kibbutz Re'im where it all started.

 

Jubilation, sadness and fear. Erin Molan is an Australian pro-Israel broadcaster. Here she speaks to Hassan Yousef Mosab. Now, in the wake of President Trump’s historic Gaza Peace Plan and the release of the hostages, Mosab sounds the alarm on what the world is NOT seeing. He warns that while people are rightfully celebrating peace and progress, a deeper and more dangerous truth may be hiding beneath the headlines. https://youtu.be/kKFpyTRPllg?si=1Sc4C8A_tCFJii_r

 

Most of you know of Noa Argamani, who the moment she was released went to hold her mother who was close to death and was the first to travel to every world leader possible to plead for the release of the hostages. Well, Noa was reunited with the love of her life, Avinatan Or and said “Now we can heal together”. Or Tal Kuperstein who, years after a catastrophic stroke, with help, stood up for the first time and wrapped his arms around his son Bar on his return to Israel. Each and every one is a miracle of endurance, but perhaps most of all, the incredible Einav Zangauker who fought like a lioness for her cub and for all the families, as she hugged her Matan. Matan in Hebrew is gift.

 

It's not all pain and to watch the reunification of families and buddies was heart warming as we watched them hug, weep, laugh and joke. We learned that they don’t want to be in sterile conditions, wrapped in cotton wool, as we thought with the first releases, they want to rejoice their freedom. Each and every one of the reunions was special and deeply emotional, as one would expect, not only for the families but for all of us as we are glued to our televisions seeing the culmination of the hours of standing in all weathers in Hostage Square, on bridges and towns, carrying flags, determined to BRING THEM HOME.

 

Perhaps the words of Nuseir Yassin, better known as Nas Daily, sum up the feelings of most Israelis. Nas is an Arab Israeli whose vlogs began as a trip around the world, looks at the world through the eyes of a proud Israeli and a proud Palestinian in his local short videos, known as vlogs. This is just over a minute long and well worth your time. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5pq4zMTdI9M

 

Trump. One could say that he trumped the entire Middle East and, on the surface, perhaps he did. His “bull in a china shop” approach may just have “trumped” the quiet, in some cases “woke”, diplomatic approach. Basically, he called everyone to order. I admit that I was entranced by his speech, albeit with his strange syntax, but he was clear in his intentions, praised his team of the wonderful, compassionate, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, and then he did it. I cannot believe it was spontaneous, probably requested, but it was grossly out of order. Israel is a nation of definite and clear laws and procedures and to speak to the Israeli President in a patronizing manner “he’s a nice guy” asking him to grant a pardon to Israel’s Prime Minister was grossly out of order. As grateful as we may be, it was inappropriate for a leader of another country to interfere in the judicial process of Israel. The judicial process demands that the person to be granted a pardon is first found guilty, expresses regret for their actions and only then can he/she be given the pardon at the behest of the President and only the PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL.

 

I really try to stay away from the internal politics of Israel but the fact that the Speaker of the Knesset intentionally did not invite the Attorney General or the President of the Supreme Court to the Knesset for President Trump’s speech is a disgrace to his supposedly apolitical position. It was an intentional snub and he replaced them with Likud members present and past, in a purely political move. Also left of the list were former Ministers, always official invitees to such events in the Knesset. He invited only those who are supporters of the current government.

 

I wish I had been a fly on the wall of the Sharm el Sheikh Conference! Unfortunately, our Prime Minister was not there, held back by the threat of Erdogan of Turkey that if he came then Erdogan would turn his plane around and refuse to attend. I still wish he had gone and tested the threat of Erdogan. I am so scared that Turkey and its megalomanic leader has become the strong man of the area. Instead of Egypt taking charge of the rebuilding of Gaza, surely the most logical logistically, Turkey has probably won the contract. Egypt speaks the same language, is a direct neighbour and is in desperate financial need. In truth, Turkey and Erdogan’s determination to rebuild the Ottoman Empire, scare me, really scare me. Atatürk is spinning in his grave.

 

Succot (Tabernacles) was relatively quiet, or so it seemed. In fact we were with several of our neighbours, impromptu breakfast with Yael and Naftali; a quick visit from a lovely French neighbour; an unexpected visit from Yosef and his lovely girlfriend Tsofia; another impromptu day meeting Julio Jarak for a lovely chat; visiting Yossi and Rachel in Kfar Saba for a delicious lunch and then going to Ra’anana to say hello to my childhood friends Jennifer and Brian. It was wonderful, my favourite kind of day. Finally, yesterday two local friends, Zalman and Hannah popped in. Tomorrow Irit and Itzik will come for Shabbat Lunch to catch up on their Seattle visit.

 

Yesterday, Mohammed came to sort out the drip irrigation system on our veranda. I am so excited! Whilst it was a pleasure to water and inspect each bush, tree and flower, it was a responsibility and when we went for a couple of days to Eilat I worried for their wellbeing! Mohammed went from trough to pot, carefully assessing the amount of water needed, sweeping away all the dead leaves that I could manage and all with a broad smile. He said in all his years he had never seen such a beautiful veranda. Of course I agreed. I picked the first orange of the season, from one of the little orange trees, and Zvi and I shared it; it tasted amazing! Before eating we repeated the blessing, the prayer of thanks for bringing us to this day. The prayer that we should all be saying after seeing the families reunite, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה  Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higianu la-z'man hazeh

Translation - Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has given us life, sustained us, and allowed us to reach this day. Amen.

 

Today would have been our lovely Valeri’s birthday. Ira, Tomer and Sheli are going to be with his family in Ashkelon, but Zvi and I send them all our love. We miss him horribly. Family is not necessarily a blood relationship, it can be a sense of belonging together and the Silver family, yes they have the same surname as my maiden name, is family in every sense.

 

Since you already know the words, now you can sing along to the song! I love this upbeat, happy rendition. Cantor's Yanky Lemmer and Pinchas Cohen singing Shehechiyanu https://youtu.be/6RaQd4Azwlg?si=U0r3bWIoYEqRUfVz

 

Daniel Wais lost both of his parents on that fateful, horrific day in October 2023 but he would not fall into the trap of constant mourning, he honoured his parent’s memories by rising up, singing their favourite songs and here, together with Y-Studs he sings Vehi Sheamda. A Passover song that applies year round. The words of the prayer are clear “That which stood for our ancestors​ applies to us as well. For it was not only one individua​l who stood up against us to destroy us. Rathe​r, in every generation they stand up against us to destroy us. But the Holy One, Blessed Be He, redeems us from their hands. https://youtu.be/fY1wgTq9SRM?si=Qj2zMTXuWr_0GAa5

 

I still remember the very first time I ever heard this song. It was with Habonim youth group in Cardiff, in the park beside Castel Coch, and one of our group began to sing, his name was Theo Christie z”l and to this day he is sorely missed, but the memory of his introduction to this joyous song remains. If I Had a Hammer, sung by Trini Lopez with Andre Rieu. https://youtu.be/NC91QRXkbSA?si=KWEIu9TM4juU9syF

 

Please God, the bell of freedom will ring out loud and clear for all the people of the world.

 

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom from my beautiful and freshly reorganised veranda. May your lives blossom and bear fruit as the tiny trees that respond to the love I pour on them. May all the returnees find peace and the families of those who did not come home alive, find consolation.

 

With much love and wishes for a peaceful Shabbat wherever you live, however you pray, even if you don’t pray but you are a good person, I send love.

 

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 10 October 2025

Habiyta - Coming Home

 

18 Tishrei 5786

734 days, 7th October 2023 – 10th October 2025

 

Golda Meir, in 1973 after the Yom Kippur War said “Perhaps it is too early yet to say in the aftermath of the war for we are actually living and ceasefire in a war which is not yet ended”

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Perhaps the first hopeful Shabbat for two years, putting the Simcha (joy) back into Simchat Torah.

 

Shabbat is nearing and shalom, that oh so impossible dream, is just beyond reach. The incredible fact is that, if the dream comes true, it is through the entry of Turkey and the Arab countries into the picture, and the determination of one American President. Turkey has spent the last 15 or 20 years looking for acceptance, rejected by the EU, backing the enemies of the West and now, finally finding an ally for an international cause in President Trump. Like him or not, President Trump did it; his team, from Steve Witkoff to Jared Kushner succeeded; where negotiations failed, threats worked.

 

After the tears of the magnificent 2-year memorial performances in Tel Aviv’s HaYarkon Park, nobody expected the news that they, the hostages, albeit shadows of who they were, are coming home to their distraught families. But it happened, the announcement came yesterday "Reports from Egypt: Hamas has started to gather the hostages to safe places" and Einav Zangauker, laughing and crying simultaneously, understood that her Matan was coming home. Einav Zangauker who kept our heads high, Einav Zangauker, the lioness who took on the world, learned to speak out with brilliant eloquence and was determined as only a mother can be. Einav hugged and was hugged by everyone in Hostage Square.

 

An agreement was signed by Israel, the USA and Hamas in Egypt and after two long years they will come home. The hospitals involved have prepared sterile areas, separate bedrooms with beds for a loved ones too. Food is a huge element because after two years of starvation their intake must be carefully monitored and of course their physical scars must be tended as their deep and terrifying psychological scars. Specialist medical staff returned from vacations; their expertise gained over and through the previous returns home.

 

So many heroes. There is no one hero in the war that we have been subjected to. There is no one hero because our soldiers not only fought to their last breath, they saw things that no human being should see. Our soldiers are our heroes, they are our children and they are the future of this country. Heroes like Zaka, Magen David Adom and the hundreds of paramedics who have risen to the cause. This country is different from any other country at war because everything is personal, it is right here in our midst and on our doorstep. We don’t fly thousands of miles to fight and we go to every funeral and sit with the families in the Shiva (seven days of mourning).

 

 In the Middle East nothing comes without a price and that price is the release of almost 2,000 convicted terror prisoners of which 250 are serving life sentences. They, the 250, will be sent either to Qatar or to Turkey who will hopefully ensure that they don’t continue their plans for another October 7th attack.

 

One incredible aspect of this war, is that young people, be it young Israelis flying from all corners of the world to come home and defend this country; volunteers young and old who came from far and wide to support and help; who have fed soldiers, cared for soldiers wives and widows, cared for the elderly who have lost their grandchildren and gone south to help rebuild those houses that were destroyed on that ghastly day  in October.

 

The rampant anti-Semitism throughout the world, may or may not lose impetus, not because its origins bear no relationship to facts or even to Gaza, its manipulations clear through clever lies. It is called DARVO (an acronym for "Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender") is a reaction that perpetrators of wrongdoing, may display in response to being held accountable for their behaviour. Research indicates that it is a common manipulation strategy of psychological abusers. DARVO is a tactic used by a perpetrator to avoid accountability for their actions. The perpetrator denies the harm or abuse ever took place. When confronted with evidence, the perpetrator then attacks the person that they had harmed, or are still harming. Finally, the perpetrator claims that they were or are actually the victim in the situation, thus reversing the positions of victim and offender.  Like in “Free free Palestine”

 

There are some friends whose loyalty has never been in doubt. The ICEJ, the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, was formed all those years ago when the other Embassies of too many countries abandoned Jerusalem, and until today they hold the Tabernacles parades and spread the truth about what happens here. The ICEJ is a worldwide organisation, but then there are the single, special people, word warriors like our friend Earl Cox and Dr Mike Evans who not only writes prolifically but created the FOZ (Friends of Zion) Museum in Jerusalem. These men and women care about Biblical Israel and understand that Jews are just the hors d’ouevres, Christians are the main course. Which brings me to Bill Maher. Bill Maher says things that others fear to say https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPaiigKjGsP/?igsh=cnMxNGNudnVxaWh6

  and by the way, Aayan Hirsi Ali would agree as would her husband Sir Niall Campbell Ferguson whose podcast I will listen to today.  https://www.youtube.com/live/X2ijLzeXLSA?si=4PlOtEIo0Y-f_b6v 

 

The Haredi soldiers of the Hashmona’im Troupe are finally leaving Gaza and they are doing it in style! A feast, dancing and singing they are homeward bound.

 

As you can imagine, this has been a week of emotional highs and lows. Last weekend we were in Eilat with Zvi’s boys and their families. It was lovely and we chose to celebrate Leor’s birthday then because his actual birthday is on October 7th. Eilat is a fun place, Israel’s only tourist centre and it was packed. Israelis don’t want to fly off to their usual holiday destinations for fear of being physically and verbally attacked – except for the more adventurous ones who explore Japan, Sri Lanka and the South pacific. The hotel was full of young families, beautiful happy toddlers splashing in the children’s pool or racing down the hotel’s long lobby. It really was enjoyable, especially for the girls who used the excuse that Eilat is a tax-free city to spend their parent’s money!!

 

The drive home was a little less enjoyable! We never do the four and a half hour drive in one go, always stopping for a coffee and to stretch our legs. At each petrol or charging station we saw reminders of our national pain – stickers covered the walls of the coffee shop entrance, stickers with the names and faces and quotes of the hostages. It was a stark reminder that the nuisance of the long drive was truly irrelevant in comparison to the truth of our situation.

 

The day before yesterday was very special. Justin Selig and three of their four children came to visit! Rachel, Talia and I took them down to our lovely family coffee shop and the Yemenite fare of Motzleh, where Zvi joined us and we caught up on all their news. Justin was and always will be my late son Daniel’s best friend. They were the two “nerds” (studious and not fashionable) of Carmel College from the age of 10. The two families were close and Daniel and Justin spent their Gap Year together. A special relationship indeed.

 

And so to Shabbat with all the anticipation of what the next few days will bring. Anticipation and trepidation mixed in with hope for the future. Apparently the main road to Jerusalem will be closed tomorrow although we thought that President Trump’s visit would be later.

 

Our songs this week are songs of hope, songs that will lift your spirits and bring us together no matter where we are in the world.

 

The first song was written well before the 7th of October but became an anthem for the hostages. “Bring Them Home” the call “Coming Home” the song. https://youtu.be/0ieaEZaknss?si=oGlfx9aJQhBb1kwf

 

Another Anthem for 2 years is “Habyita” Come Home, here sung by a very special group of people, in Hebrew with English subtitles. https://youtu.be/QzJpEwpYsLA?si=ARHAeSZnjBApG6Mf

 

As children of the 60’s, Zvi and I remember this song as one of hope and determination to win the fight over evil. When I asked Zvi which song exemplifies our time, he immediately said “We Shall Overcome”  "I'll Overcome Some Day" was a gospel music composition by the Reverend Charles Albert Tindley of Philadelphia that was first published in 1901 and became the symbol of the March in Alabama of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. https://youtu.be/1osKWCDXl40?si=_zkirYYHhSopn3lP  

 

On the 8th of October Zvi wrote this current war is the final stage of Israel’s War of Independence, a war that has been a constant in our lives since 1947 in the United Nations. It isn’t the end but perhaps as Churchill said in November 1942 “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning”.

 

Oh my goodness, this promises to be a memorable Shabbat; a memorable Succot, Tabernacles. Please God by next week I can write about the arrival of the hostages, no the arrival home of the returnees, home to their loving families so that they, all of us, can heal.

 

These two years we have learned the devastation brought about by hatred. The devastation brought about by vengeance and teaching your children to hate. The next step is to un-teach, to re-teach the children of Gaza, to give them back their childhood, to rebuild what is destroyed in Israel and in Gaza, to try to take hate out of our lexicon and replace it with a prayer for peace.

 

Shabbat Shalom from our home to yours, from Israel, Jerusalem, where it all started 3,000 years ago when King David founded a city on a hill and began to write poetry which became Psalms which we all recite.

 

With much love from our Veranda and its view over Jerusalem.

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, 6 October 2025

Remembering, Succot and hope for a new tomorrow

 

6th October 2025

One more day and it is 2 anguished years

 

I wish you a good Succot, or the feast of Tabernacles. What is a tabernacle? What is a Succah. Is it just another opportunity to hang decorations from the temporary roof, to shake a palm leaf and turn a citron? Perhaps, after the ghastly horror of the last two years and the recent jolt of the deadly attack on a Manchester synagogue it is a reminder of our frailty. Our impermanence, our tenuous existence, hasn't been as clear and disturbing for many generations. Perhaps another aspect of the building of a succah is to remember that we must appreciate permanence and not turn comfort into complacency.

 

If there is just one video that encapsulates the entire situation, in this case the UK, but one can basically replace Britain with virtually every and any other country, it is this report from Julia Hartley-Brewer which says it all. https://youtu.be/9CGaF0NzKm0?si=bwXuYQVBdhenp_oo

 

Her words echo throughout the world. I just want you to understand the numbers, cold, cruel numbers. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 7th of October, the worst and cruellest attack on Jews for 80 years. Since then- 913 soldiers killed; 1,059 killed on October 7th; 37,500 missiles launched on Israel; 30,000  injuries; 300,000 miluimnikim (volunteer soldiers); 143,000 people evacuated from their homes; 10,000 people injured in terror attacks and of course 48 hostages still held under horrific conditions under Gaza.

 

As yet again our hopes are raised to bring the hostages home, both those that have hung on to life, again I use the word tenuous to describe their physical and psychological state, to describe Israelis of all creeds and our tsunami of emotions, to understand that it takes a strong, quixotic and dangerous man to bring about a change rather than a kindly and gentle man – gentle doesn’t work in war. Trump is probably not a particularly nice person, but that very fact might just change our entire region for the better.

 

I ask you all to pray that all of the below will come home. Say Tehilim (Psalms) or just do it in your own way, but please, if you have never prayed before, do it now. I am certain that Steve Witkof will be praying that his efforts, his heroic efforts, will pay off. Another worker for peace, although with little recognition

 

🎗️Alon Ohel

🎗️Ariel Cunio

🎗️Avinatan Or

🎗️Bar Kupershtein

🎗️Bipin Joshi

🎗️David Cunio

🎗️Eitan Horn

🎗️Eitan Mor

🎗️Elkana Bohbot

🎗️Evyatar David

🎗️Gali Berman

🎗️Guy Gilboa Dalal

🎗️Matan Angrest

🎗️Matan Zangauker

🎗️Maxim Herkin

🎗️Nimrod Cohen

🎗️Omer Neutra

🎗️Omri Miran

🎗️Rom Braslavski

🎗️Segev Kalfon

🎗️Tamir Nimrodi

🎗️Yosef Ohana

🎗️Ziv Berman

🎗️Amiram Cooper

🎗️Arye Zalmanovich

🎗️Asaf Hamami

🎗️Daniel Perez

🎗️Dror Or

🎗️Eitan Levy

🎗️Eliyahu Margalit

🎗️Guy Iluz

🎗️Inbar Hayman

🎗️Itay Chen

🎗️Joshua Mollel

🎗️Lior Rudaeff

🎗️Meni Godard

🎗️Mohammad El Atrash

🎗️Oakkharasr Sonthaya

🎗️Ran Gvili

🎗️Rinthalak Sudthisak

🎗️Ronen Angel

🎗️Sahar Baruch

🎗️Tal Haimi

🎗️Tamir Adar

🎗️Uriel Baruch

🎗️Yossi Sharabi

🎗️Hadar Goldin

 

I wish you a safe and happy Succot; A safe and happy Tabernacles Festival. Please don’t forget that just a short time ago it wasn’t a synagogue that was attacked, it was an LDS church.

 

A brighter future is within reach. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Turkey, UAE, and so many countries in our region, even Syria, want to join the movement for peace. It may take time, it certainly needs re-education, but then you already know that Impact-se has that aspect in hand!

 

Israel will heal, slowly, gradually, when we see all of the above named home and we never, ever hear the dreaded words “hutar le persum” allowed for publication, again, when a soldier has died in battle. I hope, I have hope, it is not by accident that “The Hope” Hatikva is our national anthem.

 

I just found this song which fits Jew and Christian alike! It’s a happy Succah song!! https://youtu.be/nZECFcPZP4c?si=tgt0pUasCDDIw7Rg

 

Above all else we must stick together, we the rational majority mustn’t be silent. Stand by Me, by Ben E King. https://youtu.be/hwZNL7QVJjE?si=gWERc7WHLHAyPPvw

 

People from the Southern Border, most of whom had to leave their homes, those who still had homes; had to leave their families, those who still had families, and came together to sing. Koolulam, bringing people together in song and in hope for a better tomorrow. “Everything here will change from tomorrow” https://youtu.be/hptZdP_hulY?si=Vp8rEmII4a9JmSRO

 

Sending love to you all. Having come back from two days in Eilat I truly aapreciate Jerusalem weather as well as her spirituality and beauty.

Sheila