London and Jerusalem

 

21^st of August, 2026

8^th of Elul 5786

 

Shabbat Shalom from sunny Jerusalem! Yes I’m back from equally sunny London. I really wanted to write to you last week but unfortunately nobody’s computer is working. I really must get myself a laptop or Android tablet so that I can type and write to you when I am away

 

Walking through central London with our family, I kept wondering where this supposed invasion of hijabs was. I certainly didn't see it. What I saw was a wonderfully clean, busy and friendly city, full of people going about their daily lives. From shop assistants to people sitting beside us in the parks, everyone we met was warm and welcoming, and not once did we encounter the antipathy towards Israel that we have been told is everywhere. In fact, the staff at our hotel were talking enthusiastically about coming to Israel to see the country for themselves. Perhaps there is a difference between what we are told about London and what ordinary people actually think. I’m not suggesting that there is not a problem with anti-Israel extremists, but not more than anywhere else.

 

Most importantly, however, this was a family visit, and wherever we went we had something far more precious than sightseeing: real time together. I see my UK grandchildren, Sammy, Liv and Zac, only twice a year, and my New York grandchildren, Joshua and Callie, just once a year, so every moment together is precious. My sister Doreen travelled all the way from Wales while Claire went to CST to receive important materials for her and Steve’s work for the community and I loved my time with my friend Valerie (we grew our children together), Judith and old friend and star of TV, stage and cinema Rudolph Walker. Stephanie and Gideon were exceptional hosts, somehow making room for all of us, while my grandson Zac became the family's unofficial Uber, patiently driving everyone wherever they needed to go. With Sheli travelling with me and so much of the family gathered around us, it was the kind of time that doesn't need an itinerary. We talked, laughed, ate, wandered and simply enjoyed being together. Those are the memories I brought home with me.

 

We went to see Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club, a production I had been looking forward to after seeing the film many years ago. Nothing prepared me for the difference between the two. What was suggested through innuendo in the film was presented here with extraordinarily overt sexuality, and several scenes made my skin crawl. The gorilla scene, disturbing enough in itself, was made even more uncomfortable by the way the antisemitic implications were presented and by the nervous laughter from parts of the audience when the love song ended with “She’s a Jew”. The performances were brilliant, but I left deeply disturbed by what I had watched. When we met outside afterwards, our family talked about the production and discovered that we had all reacted in much the same way. Then something happened that restored a little of my faith in people. I noticed two young women taking photographs and offered to take one of them together. We started talking and discovered that their feelings were exactly the same as ours. Neither was Jewish, but one had visited Dachau only weeks earlier and both were involved with the Holocaust Trust. They reminded me that however disturbing what we see on a stage may be, there are still young people who recognise hatred for what it is. I left feeling that perhaps the human race is not quite as lost as it sometimes appears.

 

Shelley and I are so lucky that we made it home before the supposed strike in Ben Gurion airport! Today was even more chaotic than our trip. We arrived back in Israel an exhausting 5 hours late and leaving the baggage claims area to go out of the airport was like everyone leaving a pop concert in Wembley Stadium simultaneously, with luggage! Insane!!! Yesterday it really happened, the non-strike caused absolute chaos with people needing to fly without their luggage, those who actually got away after waiting 4 hours to find out if they were flying at all. The crazy thing is that Transportation Minister Miri Regev took the PM to see how amazingly the airport worked before heading off for yet another visit to Morocco with her entire staff!!

 

The Israeli election campaign has barely begun and already some of the far right seem to have abandoned any sense of proportion. There is a legitimate debate to be had about the death penalty for terrorists, although I do not support it; reasonable people can disagree, and the legislation has already passed the current Knesset. But celebrating executions, proposing viewing booths for the families of terror victims and circulating videos of gallows being built is not responsible leadership. It is political theatre at its ugliest. AI has certainly changed facts into fake. As for my vote, I know exactly what I am looking for: facts rather than slogans, a reasonable and inclusive list, and people who genuinely serve the country rather than their own political interests. Too far right, too far left, or those who do not support the extraordinary country they have been elected to serve will not get my vote — or Zvi's.

 

On the international front, Erdogan's determination to recreate the glory of the Ottoman Empire is becoming increasingly evident in Syria. Many hoped that the fall of Assad might open the door to a new understanding with Israel. Instead, Turkey seems determined to stand in the way. Erdogan's folie de grandeur is winning through once again.

 

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation project was buried in the sands of Gaza, and now another Israeli concept appears to be heading toward the same fate: the network of local militias Israel established and cultivated as a counterweight to Hamas has failed. We have short memories if we forget that Hamas was created and encouraged in order to replace Fatah in Gaza, the idea of Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, Hamas slaughtered all and any Fatah supporters. Disarmament doesn't work if we remember that the October 7th attack used rifles and guns, hatchets and bare hands.

 

The latest Impact-se report on Saudi schoolbooks is outstanding. Our work in the entire area is showing a desire to improve their learning, reduce the previous extremist teachings, the whole purpose of the work of Impact-se under the lead of our CEO Marcus Sheff. I’m so proud of the staff, Directorship and my position of Chair. This has been an exceptional year in which Indonesia has changed its school books to be more inclusive, greater tolerance with our guidance, that’s 60 million schoolchildren! Back to Saudi Arabia. Here’s the report https://impact-se.org/publication/review-of-saudi-textbooks-2024-2026/

 

Galei Zahal, aka Galgalatz, Israel's army radio station, is far more than a military broadcasting station. For decades it has been a hugely influential source of news, information and music, and has helped launch the careers of many of Israel's leading broadcasters. It became, however, a serious bee in this government's bonnet, and the decision was taken to close it down. The Supreme Court has now reversed that decision, warning that it appeared to have been driven by "the dissatisfaction of the decision-makers with the fact that the broadcasts, in their view, contradicted their positions." Quite apart from politics, surely this comes down to a very simple question: what happened to freedom of the press?

 

Last night we went to a Yehoram Gaon concert at the Mevasseret Amphitheatre, and once again we were amazed by the power of his voice not bad for a man of 87! Yehoram, the legendary Israeli singer, actor and radio personality, still has a weekly programme on Galei Zahal, which perhaps explains why the station has been such an important launching pad for so many of Israel's stars, including those who continue to appear on it today.

 

He began the evening by thanking the miluimnikim and their wives in the audience for their service, and then launched into the songs we all know and love. One particularly magical moment came when he introduced a little girl, perhaps six years old, whose special request to her mother had been to sing with Yehoram Gaon. He placed her on a high chair beside him and, without a hint of self-consciousness, she sang along with him. At the end of the two-hour performance, the audience, which had sung every word with him throughout, demanded one more song. The musicians and backing singers stood at the front of the stage and sang Al Kol Eleh with the audience joining in. That introduction was not for Al Kol Eleh but rather for another wonderfully Israeli song “Shalom Lach Eretz Nehederet” Hello Wonderful Country. https://youtu.be/__oEmwpEmTc?si=BgnNAf7BbeYxitbr

 

Another exceptional man Zvi and I have known for over 30 years is Dr Mike Evans. Together with his son Michael, he created the Friends of Zion (FOZ) Museum in Jerusalem, celebrating Israel and the contribution of Christians who have stood beside her. Mike had a dream for this year: bringing 1,800 Christian leaders to Jerusalem for a summit on 7th October. Mike created a song, wrote the lyrics and asked Zvi and his exceptional musical director Ronit Banit, to help bring together the voices from every continent and create something very special, reaching hundreds of millions people. Prepare yourselves for a beautiful, emotional experience! If you like it, as I do, please send it on.

https://youtu.be/Az9n4X5w72o?si=RVOu6Ug85EW_3sAw

 

Arik Einstein, the late great Israeli singer/songwriter creates an impression of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza as he sings his song “Ani ve Ata” You and Me. You and me we will change the world. You never know, after all, as I always say, it only takes one, one person, to start a revolution of truth and honesty, THE POWER OF ONE. Ani ve Ata. https://youtu.be/iOv9wSI8Qe4?si=rGq_2TXVWXK2a8rv

 

As beautiful as it was last Friday night with all my family around the table at Gideon and Stephanie’s home, to light the candles with everyone around me, to hear Gideon’s clear and confident voice singing the kiddush, the blessing over the wine, as my grandchildren mouthed the words along with him, but it is also so good to come home, to hear Zvi sing the kiddush with the same words as every Jew around the world stands before the Shabbat Table.

 

Zvi will miss his parliament today and I won’t go to Rachel to hear all the latest news of my Israeli grandchildren because we are going to Tel Aviv to see Zvi’s boys and their families instead. They came home from Greece in time before the travel chaos! I’m rather disappointed that Zvi managed perfectly well without me! He was very busy with his various choirs and of course his interest in the Jerusalem Dance Troupe, Hora Yerushalyim at the Efron Centre. Most other organisations are on summer break.

 

As I look over our beautiful veranda, that breathtaking view of Jerusalem on the horizon, I wish you a Shabbat Shalom, with love from Jerusalem.

 

Sheila

 

A recipe for peace

 

7^th August 2026

 

 

Shabbat Shalom, dear friends. As we wish one another Shalom, peace, let’s join Yarden Bibas in remembering the seventh birthday his son Ariel which should have celebrated this week. Instead, we remember that wonderful, cheeky red-headed little boy, his mother, Shiri, and baby brother, Kfir, after being taken hostage on 7th October 2023 and murdered by his captors. May we never forget the Bibas family, nor any of those whose lives were stolen through hatred.

 

I was horrified to read this week that antisemitism has become what one report describes as a "normalised and systemic feature of campus life" at Canadian universities. According to the newly released Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences (CASE) report, commissioned by the Canadian Government, an astonishing 96% of Jewish students said they had either experienced or witnessed at least one antisemitic incident during the past year. Sadly, although I have given you the Canadian example, it is the experience of Jewish students all over the world. How did we reach the point where young Jews go to university to learn, yet instead find themselves having to defend who they are?

 

One of the saddest sights on Israeli television today is seeing young soldiers interviewed with their faces hidden behind balaclavas. Not because they are engaged in secret operations, but because they fear being identified when travelling abroad. Only recently, a young Israeli who had completed his military service was reportedly attacked while on holiday in Greece after being recognised by a group of pro-Palestinian “activists”. Imagine that for a moment. Young men and women who served their country now feel compelled to hide their faces, not from terrorists, but from those who seek them out simply because they wore the uniform of the IDF.

 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appears deeply offended that Israel defines itself as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Yet I have heard no similar criticism from him of other countries that define themselves by religion, where citizenship, public life or family law are shaped by religious identity. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Mauritania and the Maldives allow citizenship to Muslims only. Liberia, by contrast, has long maintained constitutional provisions restricting citizenship to those of "Negro descent." The double standard is difficult to ignore. Israel is repeatedly singled out simply because it is the Jewish state, while countries that define themselves by religion or ethnicity rarely provoke the same level of outrage. Ironically, Mayor Mamdani himself is the son of a Muslim father and a Hindu mother—a marriage that would face significant legal and religious obstacles in the countries listed above, yet it is Israel that attracts his particular condemnation.

 

The grandparents of Theodore Herzl, the man whose dream became a Jewish State, were brought to Israel from Serbia and re-interred on Mount Herzl, bringing the last remains of the Herzl family home to rest.

 

Dr Mike Evans is an exceptional man. His determined love of Israel and the Jewish people is legendary. He is a prolific author on the subject and has now proven himself as a fine poet too. I’m not going to tell you his secret but an incredible music video is on its way. Mike, with his son Michael, created the Friends of Zion Museum which details the closeness of Christians to this little country. This week he published an article in the Jerusalem Post and these words caught my eye:- “I will never forget sitting with Mother Teresa. During our conversation she shared the truth that has stayed with me for decades. She said, “You cannot love Jesus without loving the Jewish people because Jesus was Jewish”.

These words were not political. They were biblical. They reflected an understanding that Christianity did not replace Judaism; rather Christianity was born from God's covenant relationship with the Jewish people. Jesus was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, worshipped in the Temple, celebrated the biblical feasts, and fulfilled the promises God gave through the prophets of Israel.” That simple conversation captures the heart of Christian Zionism. Mike, who Zvi and I have known for 30 years, lifted my spirits in this otherwise cruel world.

 

I have to tell you a short Mike Evans story. In 2002 he asked us if he could come with us to see Kinneret Chaya who was home from the rehabilitation centre for the first weekend since the terror attack which changed her life. We all went together with Martin Lindenfeld and Mike uttered these words which Kinneret Chaya lives by until today “Turn your scars into stars and bitter into better” Words we can all live by Mike.

 

One piece of genuinely encouraging news comes from IMPACT-se, the educational research organisation I am proud to serve as Chair of the Board. Its latest review of Saudi Arabia's school textbooks reveals that, after years of steady reform encouraged by Impact-se’s activities, antisemitic content has now been removed from the curriculum and attitudes towards Israel continue to moderate. At a time when hatred has intensified across much of the region, this is a reminder that education can still build bridges and that real change is possible.

 

Maybe there is a recipe for peace after all. At the “Cooking Peace” culinary camp here in Israel, Jewish and Arab teenagers from across Israel spent their time cooking, laughing, listening to music and discovering they had far more in common than they had imagined. Sometimes the shortest journey between two people begins with sharing a meal rather than sharing an argument.

 

Zvi’s week has been full of rehearsals for various concerts with his two choirs, but one event made me smile and burst with pride. Zvi was presented with the Pioneers Award in Yad Ben Zvi, Jerusalem. The award, which I hinted at last week, is for his pioneering the world battle to free Soviet Jewry, amongst many other achievements including establishing Keren Hayesod Young Leadership around the world. Well deserved recognition for a lifetime of work for the Jewish community worldwide and establishing strong ties with the Christians for Israel.

 

I loved the fact that a very few close friends and our neighbours Yael and Naftali came to the ceremony.

 

Here I paraphrase the weekly explanation of the Torah reading by my friend and mentor Rabbi Jeremy Rosen. His words are of ultimate importance to our understanding of life’s moral code. “This week’s Torah reading starts off with the themes of Blessing and Curse. In Hebrew bracha and klala. It has always bothered me that the Torah talks repeatedly as if some malignant force is punishing us, or that some benevolent force is rewarding us. Growing up in a Christian world which proclaims love even if it has not always lived up to that ideal, we Jews were often accused of being overly concerned with laws. Moses is indeed descried as the lawgiver, as if the obligation to love is not constantly reiterated in the Torah, which introduced the command to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Consider the line in the 10 commandments that we repeated a couple of weeks ago, that talks about visiting the sins of the fathers onto their sons. It is describing the impact that one generation can have on the next. For better and for worse. Life is made-up of consequences, which affect our children. And the way we educate them and set examples. Instead of punishing or rewarding, we are being asked to remember the impact one generation can have on the next for better or worse. It is up to us. Instead of thinking of God as a superhero dishing out rewards or punishing us for our errors, we should rather think of the mystical force behind the universe, our relation to it and our responsibility for the consequences of our actions.”

 

I haven’t been particularly busy this week. Well, we were 14 for Friday night dinner, and apart from my oven baked salmon, roast potatoes, plain rice and various salads I created the simplest dish imaginable which everyone loved. Sea Bream fillets and put my own charred peppers on top! That’s it apart from salt and pepper! I managed to see friends but generally at home which I love. I picked the apples from our little apple tree and gave half of the crop to our upstairs neighbours because each week, after the 7^th of October, Yoram used to drive south to help pick crops and bring me some of the rewards.

 

On Monday I will be back on an aeroplane, this time with our grand-daughter Shelly. I am flying to London to meet up with all my non-Israeli grandchildren, all 5 of them and of course my son Gideon and daughters in law Stephanie and Karen. Hopefully I will also get to see 2 of my 3 siblings who will come to London. Shelly, whose parents made Aliya just one year after I did, is an incredible companion and I really want her to meet all the family. I wanted to write from London but Stephanie explained that their computer is more of a statue than a useable means of communication!

 

So now we can move on to music and I promise to choose carefully.

 

I dedicate this song to Yarden Bibas who returned from his tortured captivity by Hamas to discover that his wife and babies had been slaughtered in captivity. Mishehu – Someone. https://youtu.be/BcjLIACFiXM?si=8Yyc_U_JajB5Ix8z

 

The late Matti Caspi sang from the heart but also sang about life in Israel This song is about warm summer evenings https://youtu.be/PNOn-7m-O24?si=p9_XR08BFO_FBOKY

 

I know how much you love Koolulam as do I! In this song they have outdone themselves. Honouring eight brave and exceptional women who have proven their exceptional bravery in many spheres are honoured in this song. I wish you could understand their names and achievements but their pictures tell their stories. A perfect way to end this missive. https://youtu.be/pB8LhGTvI5c?si=H5Qst1wjmCnaXoV5

 

I wish you all a Shabbat Shalom. I will miss you but I am so thrilled to see my grandchildren from both NYC and London.

With love from Jerusalem

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A,B,C and Operation Agatha

 

31^st July 2026

 

Shabbat Shalom to you one and all. I wish you a peaceful weekend

 

The "settlements" have been in the news a great deal this week, even more than usual. One would think that Israel is the only country in the world with disputed borders, yet once again the media has chosen to focus on one tiny corner of the globe while paying far less attention to countless other territorial disputes and occupations.

 

If, like me, you have occasionally found yourself confused about what is "ours", "theirs" and somewhere in between, a little explanation may help. Under the Oslo II Accord of 1995, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Area A, which includes the major Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin and Bethlehem, is under full Palestinian Authority civil and security control. Area B consists mainly of smaller Palestinian towns and villages, with Palestinian civil administration but shared Israeli-Palestinian security responsibility. Area C, which remains under full Israeli civil and security control, includes the Israeli communities often referred to as "settlements", together with large areas of open countryside, agricultural land, nature reserves and strategic road networks.

 

Part of the confusion is geographical. When people hear terms such as "West Bank", "occupied territories" or "settlements", they often imagine vast tracts of land with clear and obvious borders. In reality, the entire area is remarkably small, only about 130 kilometres from north to south and around 65 kilometres at its widest point. The landscape is a complex patchwork of Israeli communities, Palestinian cities, villages, farms, roads and hillsides, often lying only minutes apart.

 

Too often, the politics are reported without explaining the geography. Readers and viewers are presented with conclusions before they are given context. Whatever one's political views, understanding the map is essential before attempting to understand the dispute itself.

 

Having said that, there is no place for extremism in a country fighting for its survival. The actions of a small minority of violent settlers are not acts of patriotism; they are acts of lawlessness. At a time when Israel faces enemies on multiple fronts, IDF soldiers are being pulled away from vital missions to deal with incidents that should have been prevented. The responsibility does not rest solely with the perpetrators. When Ministers excuse violence, remain silent in the face of it or treat criminals as political allies, they become part of the problem. A government that cannot enforce the law equally weakens both the state and the society it is meant to protect.

 

Perhaps one of the qualities that distinguish Israel from its neighbours, indeed from most of this region, is our determined respect for other religions and faiths. As I have told you many times, Jerusalem, our capital city, houses places of worship of all the widely diverse religious groups, irrespective of the form of prayer. We not only respect but recognise, by law, each and every one, but, and here’s the rub, we expect that respect to be returned.

 

On Friday 24^th of July Guatemala became the 3^rd country to recognise the City of David National Park, as a Jewish Heritage, joining the USA and Argentina. The Park is the historical site of King David’s Jerusalem. Whatever the modern political arguments, the archaeological evidence beneath the surface remains unchanged. The existence of a contemporary community does not erase the history that came before it. Recognising the City of David as part of the Jewish heritage of Jerusalem is not a denial of anyone else's presence; it is an acknowledgement of historical fact.

 

Have you ever heard of Operation Agatha? Most people have heard of the bombing of Jerusalem's King David Hotel by the Irgun, led by Menachem Begin, on 22nd July 1946. Far fewer know what came before it. Three weeks earlier, British Mandate forces arrested around 2,700 members of the Jewish Agency and Haganah, raiding offices and seizing vast quantities of documents in an attempt to cripple the leadership of the Yishuv. Believing some of these papers had been transferred to the King David Hotel, the HQ of the Mandate administration, the Irgun planted explosives in the building. Warning calls were made urging evacuation, although historians still debate how those warnings were handled. The explosion killed 91 people — Britons, Arabs and Jews alike — and remains one of the most controversial events of the Mandate period.

 

Escaping the heat yesterday, we took our favourite short walk through Motza Illit and stopped for coffee after meeting a delightful couple, Ilana and Adam. As we chatted, Adam mentioned that he had come to Israel from Poland in 1956 as part of the Gomułka Aliyah, one of some 50,000 Polish Jews who arrived during that period. I found myself fascinated. Just when I think I know the story of Israel's many waves of  Aliyah -immigration, someone appears with a piece of history I had never heard before. That is one of the joys of life here; every conversation has the potential to teach you something new.

 

I didn’t know Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin although she knew my newsletters. Nancy is a writer, an historian, a psychoanalyst and an expert on Soviet Jewry and she contacted me to learn more about Zvi’s involvement in the student demonstrations that began the world struggle to free Soviet Jewry in 1969. There’s a Hebrew saying “Success has many fathers whereas failure is an orphan” and the Aliya from the FSU has been the most successful ever through science, culture and work ethic.

 

Based on his incredible work toward the freedom of Soviet Jewry, his work throughout the years for the good of Israel and the world Jewish community and for creating Young Leadership throughout the Keren Hayesod world many years ago, Zvi will be receiving a special Pioneers Award on Sunday. I’m so proud of him. Perhaps I am most proud of the fact that those young leaders have gone on to take major roles in their communities and the world and are still his (our) close friends today.

 

“Apartheid Israel” is an oxymoron.  Last night I was watching the news and after Lucy Aharish hosted a serious discussion programme (Lucy is Israeli Moslem) I watched the major news broadcast with the political and diplomatic expert Suleiman Maswadeh; the Northern correspondent Ali Mugrabi; equally the political correspondent is Haredi and the military and war correspondents are secular. In fact all the channels follow the same pattern. Our medical services couldn’t survive without our Arab doctors, nurses and dentists to say nothing of the numbers of university graduates and of course Members of Knesset. I could go on but I think that’s enough.

 

So you already know that we went for a lovely walk through the village, a village in every way. On our way down the path next to Sheva Achiot one sees the view over to Ein Kerem and the five Golden Onion Domes of the Cathedral of All Russian Saints and Gornensky Convent, above the Church of the Visitation. When we reach the top we can see the Calatrava Bridge at the entrance to town. In the village itself we have kindergartens, a small library in a pretty reading garden, lanes called for the fruits that used to grow here and the homes of people whose parents and grandparents were born here; two community centres, and as one comes into the estate, playgrounds, an area for fetes and musical events, and, in the gorgeous big house, an auditorium and coffee shop.

 

I love Boy George! Always have always will. He is not just a singer, an excellent one by the way, he is a bright human being who thinks out of the box, a trend setter not a trend follower. If you haven’t heard his latest release, you should!! Raised a Catholic he has openly supported Israel when his fellow musicians fear doing so. As a Gay man he mocks the stupidity of supporting Palestine. Here are the lyrics

We Will Dance Again. You say genocide / I say war / When you’re attacked / That’s what the army is for / “Does it get ugly? / You bet it does / When I know you want to kill / Every last one of us. You never mention October 7

Young girls raped against trees / Murdered brutally / For the crime of dancing / You condemn the Jews /With selective memory / Musicians holding flags / Mouthing like sheep / Propaganda fueled by the internet / Feels so weak.

But trust me, we will dance again / We will dance again / We will dance again / And there will be no war / But if you’re ever confused / I stand with the Jews / I don’t feel brave / I just need to behave like a human.” https://youtu.be/B8OVEI0FfWU?si=wF2XPt1I_0r5vSio

 

Tu B'Av is the Jewish holiday of love, joy, and matchmaking that falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av. This year that was the 29^th of July. Traditionally, unmarried young women in ancient Jerusalem wore borrowed white dresses so rich and poor looked alike, and danced in the fields to find partners. Of course, today that is probably non-woke today! Known as Chag HaAhava, or the Festival of Love, it is widely celebrated in Israel with romantic dinners, concerts, parties, and giving flowers and of course proposals of marriage. Here Yonina, husband and wife, sing of their love for one another. https://youtu.be/iaGQAy3rCI0?si=gR5Abb3-lm-YmAIT

 

“Together throughout, we’ve been through it all and we’ll get through this too” the words of Katan Aleinu. Liraz Russo, known as Static and Eden Ben Zaken are famous Israeli stars yet when necessary, they donned their uniforms. This is Israel.  https://youtu.be/M8Nz-wBEf7o?si=4Rj-NnVqdiO9XEBx  

 

It's time to extend our dining table since we will be 15 for Shabbat dinner and I want to get the table set. Everyone laughs because I like to get the table perfectly set well in advance and then I feel that the rest is easy. I can decide what I’m giving everyone with their particular culinary foibles, prepare, cook and get the bowls ready, lined up like soldiers to receive the salads or vegetables. Maybe, if it’s not too hot, I’ll go for a stroll around the veranda, checking out the fruit trees, in awe at the unbelievable hibiscus smothered in peachy/orange flowers and then standing, just standing very still so that the tiny sunbirds can dart from flower to flower then take a drink of sugary water from the special feeder, stopping to see Jerusalem on the horizon.

 

This week’s Torah reading talks of gratitude, of the lack of gratitude of the Children of Israel’s first generation out of slavery. Moses reminds them of the things they should be grateful for and perhaps that’s a lesson we should learn. We are often so busy complaining that we forget how lucky we are. Just a thought!!

 

Shabbat Shalom lovely people. Shabbat Shalom to you all, wherever you are in this crazy world.

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

People not Headlines - back from Albania

 

23^rd July 2026

9^th of Av, Tisha b’Av

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. We are back!

 

Today is Tisha B'Av, a day of fasting and remembrance. For thousands of years, Jews have mourned the tragedies that have befallen our people — from the destruction of the First and Second Temples to the expulsions, persecutions and ultimately the horrors of the Holocaust. Yet one lesson our history should teach us is never to belittle the suffering of others. That thought was very much on my mind during our visit to Kosovo.

 

Our friend Damian, together with his lovely partner Brickela, collected us from our hotel for the 400-kilometre journey across the border from Albania into Kosovo. Kosovo is a beautiful country, but one that still carries deep scars from the 1999 war with Serbia.

 

Brickela's family lived through that war, and hearing her speak about it through her tears, brought their history painfully to life. She spoke of slaughter, rape, burned homes and families forced to flee. As I listened, I was struck by how hatred so often follows the same dreadful path. The horrors of 7th October remain our own terrible wound, but recognising the suffering of others does not diminish it. If anything, it reminds us that innocent people everywhere pay the price when hatred is allowed to flourish. The memorials of Kosovo speak quietly of a grief that still endures and, thanks to Brickela, became far more than names on a monument.

 

Another thing struck me. Although Kosovo is an independent country, it remains staunchly Albanian. Albanian flags are everywhere. If there is a wedding, the invitees decorate their cars with Albanian flags and drive in procession through the streets. It is not a question of dual loyalty; rather, a recognition of shared history, language and peoplehood. Watching it, I understood instinctively. Thoroughly exhausted by the end of the day; from 08:30 until 02:00 the next day with 800 kilometres under our belts we understood that history experienced is thoroughly different from history in the news, Who should understand that better than Israelis?

 

One lesson stayed with me throughout our travels in Albania, Kosovo and Azerbaijan. These are predominantly Muslim countries, yet everywhere we encountered warmth, hospitality and a quiet acceptance of people who may pray differently or come from different backgrounds. It made me wonder whether some Western societies, so quick to lecture others about tolerance, might have something to learn from them.

 

So what’s been happening since our return?

Jewish settlers, extremists, set fire to a mosque near Hebron. I wonder what the Jewish world would say if it was the opposite and Palestinians set fire to the Jewish Synagogue in near Hebron

 

There comes a point when difficult questions can no longer be avoided. This week, groups of Haredi protesters once again blocked the entrance to Jerusalem, threatened passers-by and brought parts of the country to a standstill. Their anger is directed at military service, yet many refuse even to attend the recruitment centres to obtain the exemptions to which they may be entitled. I say this as someone who loves Judaism, values Torah learning and respects those who dedicate their lives to it, but there is nothing Jewish about intimidation, threats or treating fellow Jews as enemies. A country at war cannot function if entire sectors insist that the burdens of citizenship belong only to others. Faith deserves respect; so, do responsibility and the rule of law. Surely Tisha b’Av is the time to fight together not each other.

 

Iran has been firing missiles at most of the countries surrounding it, the countries of the Gulf which include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the Emirates and for two days running they have been firing at Aqaba, the Jordanian port on the Red Sea. It is as if they are waving a red flag at the United States while all of us pray that it will not come to an all out war. What drives the Ayatollahs? Is it desperation or are they ready to take on the world? What drives them to attack other Muslim countries when we know that Islam specifically decries such action? What is the advantage of Turkey, or should I say of Erdogan, in joining their confrontation while currying favour with Trump?

 

While the threat of Iran looms, things are warming up on the election front and rhetoric is rife, as it always is when faced by politics! What party will win I do not know, although I hope it will be led by an honest man or woman who cares deeply about our country and cares less about their own position.

 

Just by the way, Mamdani’s threats to arrest the Israeli Prime Minister are not only empty threats they bear no resemblance to the policies of New York. NYC has the reputation of accepting all, now there is yet another stain on that glorious city’s reputation.

 

One issue Israel must address honestly is the relationship between its Jewish and Arab citizens.

While having dinner in Tirana, we found ourselves sitting beside a delightful family. "Where are you from?" we asked. Rather hesitantly, the husband replied, "Israel," as though he was unsure what reaction he might receive. We laughed and immediately switched into Hebrew. The next question, of course, was where in Israel. Again, somewhat cautiously, they told us they were from Sachnin and hoped to move to Carmiel. Lina is a lawyer with the Israeli State Attorney’s Office and Mohammed is a mechanical engineer. As we wished them luck, they shared a painful story. They had found an apartment, agreed a price and reached the final stage of the purchase. Then, they told us, the sellers saw the name Mohammed and withdrew from the sale.

 

I found myself wondering how we would react if the story were reversed. Israel's Arab citizens are doctors, dentists, nurses, lawyers, engineers, teachers, judges and soldiers. They are part of the fabric of this country. We do not have to agree on everything to recognise a simple truth: a society is judged not by how it treats those who are like us, but by how it treats those who are not. 78 years after Independence we must recognise that every single Israeli citizen, with the exception of criminals, is an essential part of our society and just as we demand that Jews should be accepted as equal wherever they may live in the world.

 

Lake Kinneret has many names and so does its most famous fish. Christians know it as St Peter's Fish, Arabic-speaking fishermen call it Musht (comb in Arabic) because of its comb-like fin, in Hebrew it is Amnon, you may know it as Tilapia. Whatever the name, it brought back memories of my very first visit to Israel in 1963. I crossed the lake by boat to Ein Gev, then living under the shadow of Syrian guns on the Golan Heights, and there ate my first Musht. What caught my attention this week, however, was not the fish but the fisherman. Menachem Lev has been fishing the waters of the Kinneret for more than forty years. Once there were hundreds of fishermen on the lake; today he is the last. In a country that changes so quickly, there is something rather moving about a man who sets out at dawn to cast his nets, keeping alive a tradition as old as the lake itself.

 

So here we are again. The IDF is on high alert, Iran is increasing its threats to the United States and its closest ally in the region, Israel, aka the Big Devil and the Little Devil. There may well be another confrontation ahead of us; in this part of the world, we have learned never to say never. Yet despite the headlines, despite the threats and despite the uncertainty, I am enormously relieved to be home. Actually, I’m not relieved to be home, I’m delighted and thrilled to be home. It may sound strange to those of you who haven’t been to Israel, but it shouldn't. Israel is where I feel safest, not because there are no dangers, but because we face them with our eyes open. We prepare, we protect ourselves and, when necessary, we stand together. That is why, when we wish each other Shabbat Shalom, we truly mean it.

 

Finally, the World Cup. We watched the Argentina–England match in Tirana, surrounded by Argentinian supporters, apart from one English family whose ten-year-old son proudly wore his England shirt. The football was competitive but enjoyable until the Argentinian players turned it into a political statement by displaying a "Malvinas" banner, resurrecting the Falklands dispute. Fans will always wave flags; international sportsmen should know better. Spain deservedly won the final, but what followed was deeply disappointing. Instead of accepting defeat with dignity, several Argentinian players became involved in ugly confrontations with their Spanish opponents. What should have been a celebration of football became something rather less admirable. Instead of being remembered as Messi's moment, it became Argentina's shame.

 

My, oops I mean OUR mirpesset (veranda) is blooming! While we were away Gideon came for a quick visit with his little sister (Rachel) in our otherwise empty apartment, a rare moment for them both, and they ensured that the irrigation system was sufficient in the searing heat of an Israeli summer. Gideon enjoyed one of the delicious apples on the little Ana tree which was so full of delicious apples that Rachel had to add another bamboo support to stop it keeling over! The new herb garden was absolutely full of basil, dill, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and the scent greeted me as I neared. All the citrus trees are either flowering or in various stages of bearing fruit and the hibiscus, oh the Hibiscus, red, crimson, peach, orange and purple all welcoming us home. The other herb corner with mint, lemon balm and louisa is growing so fast that they needed cutting back and what was a dry stick with straggly roots that my lovely friend Averil gave me is becoming a shesek (loquat) tree that is growing like a triffid!!

 

My first song is very tongue in cheek, sung by the excellent Eli Luzon, complaining about everything, but we wouldn’t live anywhere else! Ayzo Medina – What a country https://youtu.be/5jRCs94IfEw?si=Q_NUPfdmaFg4HIKi

 

This song, written in the 70’s for my children’s favourite show Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat is still so relevant, sung by Donny Osmond “Close Every Door to Me”  Listen carefully. https://youtu.be/d8reEiq4ui8?si=RJTtHAFvnHcA5Ee_

 

This last song shows my age from the time I was a flower child and thought that love could conquer the world Where Have All the Flowers Gone was probably about the Vietnam War but could have been about any war because sadly there is always one somewhere. https://youtu.be/ZgXNVA9ngx8?si=dKEg37TfdzA6gEt2

 

I want to finish by telling you about a very special man, my brother in law Raymond who passed away yesterday. I still remember the first time I ever saw him, I was just 11 years old, when my eldest sister Eddie came home with a handsome, if rather skinny, young man from Manchester and the whole family fell in love with him. They were married for 69 years and I know few couples as devoted. I send all my love to Eddie, Paul and Marilyn and to Ruth and all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will miss him horribly.

 

Sending you wishes for a Shabbat Shalom from our home to yours

Sheila

 

 

  

 

Heroes and Heroines

 

8th July 2026

 

Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh — We are one people, bound by a shared responsibility for one another.

 

I owe the amazing Maccabeans from three countries an apology.

When I heard that Australia, Britain and Canada were not sending their usual huge youth delegations to this year's Maccabiah Games, I assumed they had simply become overly cautious. I couldn't have been more wrong.

 

On Sunday, over lunch in our home, our Canadian friends Bill and Ellen Izso, Jeffrey and Samara Freeman and the wonderful Roy Saloman, explained the real story to Zvi and I. Bill, who had the heartbreaking responsibility of making the final decision, Told us after the Canadian Government travel warning insurance companies simply refused to insure hundreds of young athletes travelling to Israel. Faced with that reality, there was no responsible alternative.

His words struck me. "How can I bring hundreds of youngsters here," he asked, "when I cannot guarantee that Iran or Hezbollah won't launch rockets and that they will always have somewhere safe to run?"

 

Jeffrey and Samara happened to be in Israel on the 7^th of October, 2023 and witnessed something no insurance company could ever calculate. Hotels, guest houses, apartment buildings and private homes opened their doors without hesitation to anyone needing shelter. Jeffrey's conclusion was simple: despite everything, he feels safer in Israel than anywhere else in the world. Unable to fly home because the air space over Israel was cleared, they chose to do so much more than wait for a flight; they conquered fear and day after day drove south to the Gaza envelope to help farmers harvest fruit and vegetables after foreign workers had fled and Gazan labourers, obviously, could no longer enter Israel. Jeffrey was delighted to tell us that he learned to drive a tractor so they could move large crates of fruit. Such actions helped the farmers to survive.

 

Sometimes the headlines tell only half the story.

 

Last night our dear friends Bill Izso and Claudia de Benedetti were among those honoured with the Yakir Maccabi Award. They received it because, quite simply, they "get it".

They understand that the Maccabiah is about far more than medals. It is about bringing young Jews to Israel through sport, creating friendships that span continents and strengthening the bond with Israel. Bill told us that his own journey into Maccabi leadership began under the guidance of the wonderful Roy Saloman, who mentored him by leading through example. It is now Bill and Claudia who are passing that same spirit on to the next generation.

 

We couldn't be prouder to call them friends.

 

I sat down at six o'clock this morning intending to tell you about what I did last night.

I walked the few metres to the "Big House" auditorium to hear a talk by Sapir Berman. I went out of curiosity and left deeply moved.

 

Sapir began life as Sagi Berman, who went on to become one of Israel's leading football referees. Today she is a beautiful, confident woman who chose to undergo her transition in full public view, beneath the glare of media headlines and in one of the most macho professions imaginable. With extraordinary warmth, humour and honesty she spoke about finding the courage to become herself, and about the unwavering love of her parents, her brother and her football family, who stood beside her throughout that journey.

 

Why am I telling you this?

Because beyond everything else, Sapir is proudly Israeli. We often speak of physical courage in Israel. Last night we were reminded that moral courage deserves our admiration too. She took us from laughter to tears and left us with one unforgettable message: conquer fear, but never lose yourself. Perhaps what her story says even more about Israelis and Israeli society is that she is still loved, still admired and still speaking to audiences so that they will accept others.

 

The people I've written about today, Bill and Claudia, Roy Saloman, Sapir Berman and so many others, are all different but share something precious: they have the courage to remain true to themselves and to care for others. Perhaps that is the real meaning of Am Yisrael Chai. Not simply that the People of Israel live, but that we never allow fear to decide who we are.

 

Now I really am signing off. The suitcases are packed, I’m about to meet friends for one last coffee, the medicines are organised (an unavoidable reminder that we're no longer twenty!) and then Rachel will take us to the airport. I can’t end without sending special love to my son Gideon for his birthday tomorrow and to my amazing big sister Eddie and her lovely husband Ray for their 69^th anniversary today. 25,202 days of absolute love and partnership.

 

Be well. Care for one another. Stand tall, know who you are and never let fear stop you from being yourself.

 

As always, I'd like to leave you with a song. When looking for just the right song I discovered something special. We have songs to welcome people home, but none to say goodbye. Perhaps that's because, in Israel, we never really say goodbye. We simply say Lehitraot – until we meet again. So, I'll leave you with Koolulam singing Bob Marley's One Love in Jerusalem's Tower of David, where Jews, Christians and Muslims sing together.

Shalom. Salaam. One Love. Until we meet again.

https://youtu.be/TZzK29_V8jQ?si=3QaBxxfke1CMyr-o

 

With all my love from Jerusalem.

Sheila