From Herzl to Herzog

 

6^th February, 2026

19^th Shvat, 5786

 

Shabbat Shalom. I hope that this missive finds you all well, after all where would I be without you to tell you of our worries and joys?

 

The stand-off we are living through, between a power defined by scale, technology and modernity and another driven by religious absolutism, brings to mind the early Cold War in unsettling ways; indeed, I can’t get it out of my mind. Those of a certain age remember the Kennedy years: history seemed to hold its breath as families watched the news on their black-and-white televisions or sat close to their radios, waiting to hear whether the world would slide into catastrophe. Today feels eerily familiar. Allies are aligned, ships and aircraft are in position, troops on standby, prepared for war while fervently hoping that their acts of deterrence hold. When the immediate danger passed, Kennedy issued a warning rather than a reassurance, observing that “the complacent, the self-indulgent, the soft societies are about to be swept away with the debris of history”. It is a sentence that resonates with even greater force now.

 

I’m Israeli-British and I have to admit that the Super Bowl doesn’t have the same ring as the Ashes (cricket) or the 6 Nations (rugby), but I realise that it is a major cultural event in the United States and that advertisements shown during the game are of paramount importance. That is why Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance ad is so important; it emphasises the unthinking cruelty of antisemitism and reaches those who would never consider watching something that reaches so deeply into American society.  The advertisement points out that a terrifying 2 out of 3 Jewish American schoolchildren have encountered antisemitism  https://youtu.be/YgOkCFGNeTE?si=cEfIiEQzGo0n-bAg

 

Every single day this year, an Israeli Arab under the age of 30 has been killed in criminal violence. This is not a statistic; it is a national emergency. The government’s inaction has been deafening, leaving entire communities exposed and lives treated as disposable. That is why Israeli Arabs and Jews are now standing together in quiet demonstrations, demanding action, real policing, real protection, and real accountability. Silence is no longer neglect; it is complicity.

 

Something is profoundly wrong in the way a small group of young extremists are interpreting Judaism. Their actions bear no relation to Jewish teaching or values and, in their cruelty and extremism, disturbingly resemble the methods of Islamist terrorists. The so-called Hilltop Youth are attacking ordinary people Arab farmers, goatherders, Bedouin and villagers, burning homes and vehicles, assaulting individuals, stealing livestock and destroying olive groves. This is not religious devotion; it is lawlessness dressed up as faith, and it should trouble anyone who cares about Judaism, justice or the rule of law. Again, the inaction of the police is complicit with their inexorable behaviour.

 

I have a question that should trouble every right-thinking human being. Where is the outrage from the self-appointed, armchair champions of human rights when the Iranian regime murders thousands of its own people? Where were they when a Syrian despot slaughtered half a million of his citizens? Who marches for the Igbo, the Kurds, or Nigerian Christians? Where are the crowds who deface monuments, chant slogans, and scream fury, especially those who cannot even name the river or the sea they shout about? The answer is painfully simple: none of these crimes involve Israel or Jews. Their supposed concern for human rights collapses under the weight of its own dishonesty. What remains is not compassion, but a prejudice so deeply embedded that it blinds them to every atrocity except the one that allows them to indulge their antisemitism.

 

While Qatar presents itself as an “honest broker” in the region, a new IMPACT-se report shows that for the fourth consecutive year its school textbooks remain unchanged, steeped in antisemitism, jihad, the glorification of martyrdom, hostility to non-Muslims, and the denial of Israel’s right to exist. The US State Department’s 2024 Report on International Religious Freedom explicitly condemned this material, citing IMPACT-se, yet Qatar simply reprinted the same books. This toxic culture is reflected at the highest level: Qatar’s current education minister publicly mourned senior Hamas leaders. Even as Qatari children are taught hatred at home, Qatar markets itself to the gullible West as a responsible diplomatic and economic partner, pouring billions into US education, the largest foreign funder, in a deeply troubling contradiction.

Yesterday I drove to Givat Ze’ev to spend some time with Rachel. The journey should be a pleasure: the road is easy, the views extraordinary, Jerusalem spread out below as you pass Samuel’s Tomb, from which, they say, you can see not only the fabulous panorama of Jerusalem but all the way to the sea. And then my mood changes. As the road drops towards Givat Ze’ev, Ramallah and its sprawling suburbs press into the hills, vast building projects rising unchecked right up to the fence, well past the imposed no man’s land. The contrast is jarring, and infuriating. On our side of the fence, even the smallest construction is endlessly scrutinised and condemned by countries that have never bothered to come here to see what is actually happening. Such hypocrisy simply plays into the hands of the Palestinian Authority.

 

Young Israelis have a tendency to set off on their travels after their army service or Sherut Leumi (public service). No European Culture tours for them, they set off on adventures in South America (the favourite), Thailand, Vietnam and other wonderful new experiences. My granddaughter, Talia, is off on her adventure, intending to travel around South America where Habad provides housing and food all over the continent. As one does, I decided to let one of my favourite people know that Talia was going to be in Panama and I was absolutely blown away by the open house that Sally and Gabriel Safdie provided to Talia and even a few of her friends. Such warmth and generosity is rare and our gratitude absolute. Sally is the epitome of “Eshet Chayil” “Woman of Valour" or "Woman of Strength." Originating from Proverbs, it is a poem praising a woman for her wisdom, kindness, industriousness, and strength, rather than just domestic virtue. Most of all she has become a trusted friend to Talia.

 

Zvi and I decided to go for a walk. We were rushed off our feet this week but nonetheless, seeing the number of cars parked near the path to the now overflowing reservoir we felt there must be something extraordinary to see. We set off, crossing the winding road to our home; actually I must digress, partly because I haven’t done so in this missive and partly because it is important to the story. OK Let me start again from the beginning. The village of Motza, the current one not the thousands of years old settlement, consisted of just a few farmers when Theordore Herzl came to enjoy the pure air with his friend David Woolfson, and the road that ran through the village, which was also the road or rather route to Jerusalem barely existed. As time went on and the village grew the road and its winding, hair-pin bends took on the name of Sheva Achiot, or seven sisters due to the seven aforementioned hairpins. Now back to the intended walk. We crossed Sheva Achiot and went through the gate to the somewhat rocky path, with me hanging on to Zvi to keep myself steady. The path was covered in almond trees, their fragrant blossom lifting our spirits and among the rocks at the side were beautiful pink Rakafot (wild cyclamen). We passed other walkers, always greeting each other with a “Shalom isn’t it wonderful” until we came to the vista point. Funny really, it has become famous after being chosen as one of Israel’s most beautiful views, but it just consists of an old rusty bench under the shade of fir trees. It really is stunning, to sit there, a light breeze catching the movement of the trees and lo and behold, the lake below us. The rains of the last few weeks have filled the reservoir, overflowing the dam and providing a view from a place of complete peace. It is worth the difficult (for me) walk just to sit and find a quietness in the green and beautiful view, knowing that there is still a place for sanity in this world.

 

On Monday the residents of Motza Illit were paid a visit by President Isaac “Bougie” Herzog to plant his tree in the Avenue of Presidents right under our veranda, appropriately because Monday was Tu b’Shvat, the 15^th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat and the New Year for Trees. Almost all the Presidents of Israel have trees planted in the Avenue of the Presidents, following in the footsteps of Theordore Herzl and David Woolfson because planting a tree represents hope for the future and expresses a sense of permanency and intimacy with the land. The initial planting represented threat to Haj Amin al Husseini, who later supported Hitler, that the “King of the Jews” had planted a tree and under cover of night he cut the tree down and the stump remains. The founder of  Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design , Professor Boris Shatz, decided to recover the trunk of the tree and give it a formal burial. Sadly nobody knows where it is buried so that story remains legend. My goodness I made up for the former lack of diversion!  The festivities began in the beautiful “Big House” which is now a wellness clinic, started by a mother who lost her child on October 7^th. We sat in the beautiful theatre as the President spoke and received a framed award and then enjoyed refreshments (of course) before walking down the steps to the planting.

 

An exciting week, and one in which music, as always, played a huge part. It isn’t just the fact that Zvi sings in two choirs, his beautiful, rich bass baritone in demand, for me music is memories, music brings back so many wonderful events and family gatherings that I don’t think I could manage without it. My car has suddenly discovered Spotify, how only heaven knows, but I must say that the choice of music is strangely appropriate! Mostly 60’s I find myself singing along as I drive back and fore on the wide highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

 

The Vietnam war and the deaths of a President, his brother and a great leader for change brought out music that created social change as at no other time. I’d love to hear from you as to what your favourite music from that time, the music that was life-changing for you.

 

I can’t promise life-changing music but, as they say, if music be the food of love, play on. Music can  a vessel to express meaning  as in לַכֹּ֖ל זְמָ֑ן וְעֵ֥ת לְכָל־חֵ֖פֶץ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ in Ecclesiastes or Kohelet.

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” Such simple words. https://youtu.be/n0xzyhoeu1Y?si=uZZWtGPUAw2ix3Qs

 

Even major stars serve in the IDF, some of them telling the story of how we, tiny Israel survives and thrives. https://youtu.be/M8Nz-wBEf7o?si=JPMz4EHAiG_d5c-S

 

Eretz Eretz Eretz, the land in which we were born and the land we will love as Mother and Father. Yonina with the song that says it all. https://youtu.be/fQdLxr5MH5s?si=ZpbpScnzQASKhpVt

 

Zvi has gone to his parliament in the Botanical Gardens. They certainly have a great deal to discuss, from Iran to Trump, from travels to concerns, but they discuss everything including their disagreements. This is a wonderfully open society, nothing off the table. Here at home Shabbat is in the air, literally. The aromas of many nations hits the air and brings back memories of lands of dispersion and exile, and the coming together again, the coming home. From Moroccan to Kurdish or Syrian kubbeh soup, Ashkenazi chicken soup and kneidlach, sweet chicken with dried fruit and long cooked beef which falls apart before it reaches the mouth, dishes that link to the countries of the Jewish Diaspora where Jews thrived for thousands of years until thrown out like animals, but we knew where to go, we came home.

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends. As the Shabbat prayer says “May the Lord watch you and keep you”

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Homeland, Fake News and Great Women

 ​HOMELAND, FAKE NEWS AND GREAT WOMEN

30^th January 2026

12^th Shvat, 5786

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends, Shabbat Shalom.

 

International Holocaust Day has been and gone but hatred and dehumanisation remain. Norwegian lawmaker Joel Ystebø has nominated Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, for the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of its vital work in Holocaust education and remembrance.  “In a time when antisemitism is once again gaining a foothold in public discourse, Yad Vashem reminds us of what is at stake if hatred and lies are allowed to pervade, I believe that the Nobel committee should take a stand on antisemitism”

 

There are many dark issues I could quote but I was excited to see that Former Conservative Minister Sajid Javid has become Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (HMDT), setting out his determination to get the number of school children engaged with learning the lessons of the Shoah, the Holocaust, back up to levels “higher than ever before”. Sajid Javid was born in the UK to a Pakistani Moslem family who chose to follow his heart and head not the flock.

 

Zvi and I are hooked on Homeland which is based on the acclaimed Israeli series  Hatufim (English: Prisoners of War), created by Gideon Raff. There are several episodes dedicated to the devastation caused by fake news and its relevancy to today was absolute. It is worth reminding ourselves that the real enemy is not President Trump, however divisive his style may be, but the Iranian Ayatollahs and the network of proxies they command. This regime has spent decades exporting hatred, violence, and instability far beyond its borders, into the Middle East, Europe, and now US universities. Through funding, propaganda, and relentless ideological conditioning, they have succeeded in poisoning the minds of young people who mistake extremism for justice and intimidation for moral courage. Personalities come and go in politics; ideologies rooted in repression and destruction are far more dangerous, and our attention should be fixed on them.

 

We finally took down the yellow ribbons on our doors and cars. Ran Gvili z”l has finally come home; his body returned for burial after 843 days of unbearable pain for his family. Ran’s body was found through the painstaking work of the dental teams of the Israeli Coroners Research Institute, who worked through 250 bodies in the blood-stained ground of Gaza, an unthinkable task. For his family, the waiting is over; for all Israelis, the questions remain. The Gaza war may be over, but what now? Can we rediscover the glue, the common ground, that once held us together, before grief, anger, and the divisive policies of this government split us apart? Will we ever learn the truth of the days, weeks and months leading up to October 7^th?

 

When Itam worked late in the Impact-se offices about 5 years ago and found the UNWRA curriculum online, a result of schools in Gaza closing due to Covid, none of us fully comprehended the ramifications.  Impact-se immediately began to research the material in great depth and the resulting report took the world by surprise. https://www.impact-se.org/wp-content/uploads/Review-of-2022-UNRWA-Produced-School-Materials.pdf It took the world a horrendous rampage of evil on October 7^th to understand our discovery. Western leaders have withheld funding, albeit temporarily, and the evil that is UNWRA has come to light. This week the UNWRA HQ in Jerusalem was pulled down. A small start but a start nevertheless.

We |Israelis find a disturbing comparison to today’s chjoiceof some sectors of our society.

On January 25, 2026, over 600 evangelical churches representing around 1,100 leaders worldwide, participated in the third annual Solidarity Sunday, organized by the Eagles’ Wings ministry, to oppose rising antisemitism. The initiative featured Jewish speakers in churches across the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and other nations, alongside a global broadcast from Buffalo, N.Y

 

Perhaps you already knew about the Evangelical support for Israel (often mistrusted and misunderstood) but you were almost certainly unaware of the LDS (Mormon) support of Israel. In a groundbreaking act of interfaith co-operation, Rabbi Jarrod Grover of Beth Tikvah Synagogue in Toronto led a nine-day humanitarian mission to Israel that brought together Jewish participants and 10 young adults from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as part of Birthright Israel Foundation’s Birthright Volunteer program and marked the first time it formally included non-Jewish participants.

 

I was fascinated by this week’s Torah reading and its unmistakable heroine, Deborah. A formidable leader, she does not hesitate to curse the people of Meroz for failing to come to the aid of their nation at a critical moment, a rebuke delivered through an angel. Her song also challenges the tribes who chose the comfort of flocks and ships over responsibility and courage. It is a timeless reminder that leadership demands action, and that standing aside in moments of danger is a moral failure.  85 million Anglicans welcome a woman, Sarah Mullally, a former nurse, as the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Deborah stands as a powerful biblical reminder that strong female leadership is nothing new.

 

Since we are talking of women, brave, strong women, I have one hard question on my mind, admittedly one of many; who will remember the girls, the tatspatiniot, the observers, who saw the warning signs, reported the unusual activity on the Gaza border, and were ignored? They did their duty with quiet courage, yet were left without protection, and on October 7^th 2023, many paid with their lives. Their voices were clear, their vigilance unwavering, and their fate unbearably tragic. They deserve to be remembered not only for how they died, but for the truth they saw, the responsibility they carried, and the failure that abandoned them. Only an independent inquiry can find the answer.

 

The Pentagon’s 2026 Defence Strategy Report described Israel as a model ally. In previous strategy reports that sought to balance relationships across the region, Israel is at the centre of American strategic thinking. The report defines Israel as a “model ally”: “a country that does not ask the United States to fight on its behalf, but one that demonstrates both the willingness and the capability to defend itself independently, and is therefore deserving of unequivocal support.” Perfect ally we may be, but unlike all our allies, this war is on our own doorstep and the question on all Israeli lips, irrespective of political leanings, creed or colour, is “will the war restart and if so when”

 

Did you know that ecology is a central element of Judaism and has been for thousands of years? We even have a festival in which we plant new trees, not surprisingly known as the New Year for Trees! That respect for mother nature and her effect on our climate has brought Israel to the first place, worldwide, for increasing its number of trees planted annually. I remember, as a child, being taken out of Sunday school to plant a sapling and this year, for my 80^th birthday, I decided to recreate that act with grateful thanks to my siblings, Eddie and Ray, Doreen, Ronnie and Sandie and my beloved daughter-in-law Karen, who clubbed together to buy me a tree of my choice. I chose a large fejoyia (is that how you spell it) tree which is framed by the huge window of our new extension. The tree stands tall, representing the strength and fruitfulness of this amazing country, standing firmly in its pot. When the nurseryman came to deliver it, he decided to plant it for me, not in his normal tasks, “because it is you”, surely the greatest compliment.

 

The celebrations of last week continued into this week, starting with a visit to an Air Force base to visit our granddaughter, Amit. The meeting site was quite beautiful because in every camp in Israel, every Soldier has somewhere to meet the parents a picnic area specially designated with picnic tables with special chairs and a lavish picnic, traditionally the picnic consists of schnitzels, multiple salads and humus. This country is exceptional because we understand that our soldiers need their family support because

our Wars are not thousands of miles away.

 

Next a wonderful, joyous wedding of Rachel’s husband’s nephew. It was a happy, traditional wedding, a family affair as the young couple arrived at the runway which led to the chuppah, the wedding canopy. First Noam was accompanied by his father and future father-in-law, followed by the bride and her mother and future mother-in-law. Then Noam gently lifted his bride’s veil, a symbolic reference to the story of Jacob, who worked seven years to marry Rachel, only to be tricked by his father-in-law into marrying her older sister, Leah, because she was veiled. The groom lifts the veil to make sure she’s the right one! Then to the canopy where the Rabbi sang the blessings, followed by members of the family who shared the seven blessings, followed by the breaking of the cup as the groom stamps on it. There are so many explanations for this strange tradition, two of which are – that it represents the fragility of marriage and the other is that it we should never forget what caused the destruction of the two Temples. The official part over, the entire room swamps the dais and then it is food, food, and more food with loud music at which point the older guests leave and the youngsters dance the night away!

 

My friend Jill had a great week. We went to Jill’s former kibbutz (I think I told you last week) and then Jill met with her young friend Uriel, after which Rachel picked them up and headed off to the Kotel. Jill and I went to the marvellous Orchid Farm and Coffee Shop where we had a delicious brunch and I chose the Orchids that were a birthday present from my children’s father and his wife Barbara We then went on to the plant nursery (with Rachel) to choose the aforementioned Fejoya tree! On Wednesday morning Rachel and I took Jill to the airport for her journey back to the UK. I won’t say her journey home because this will always be her real home. On Thursday morning I returned to my Mind and Movement class in our community centre. It was very special and culminated in our guide, Gali, asking me, as a birthday treat, to choose the music for the final 20 minutes. The first song was an easy choice, the song that my Mother sang to me, I sang to Gideon and he in turn sings to his son Sammy, You Are My Sunshine, followed by All You Need is Love and Hey Jude, Sailing by Rod Stewart, If I Had a Hammer, We Shall Overcome which Gali understood were all songs of hope for a better world. I ended it with Aretha Franklin’s Respect, what we all pray for.

 

Tonight, we have 8 friends for Shabbat Dinner, if it all works out a four course meal, most of which is already in the fridge or ready to go. Everyone loves Zvi’s kiddush (blessing over the wine) and the bread before tucking in to what I hope will be a delicious meal with stimulating conversation. Tomorrow morning, we will be at a lecture in the next village by Or Heller, a brilliant and brave military and war reporter. After that we will celebrate our granddaughter Ella’s 13^th birthday, the wonderful Ella, daughter of Amiad and Noga. Yes, a crazy schedule but we love living life that way. I pray that we will never slow down.  

 

Songs. Did you know that song in Hebrew is the same as poem, both are Shir. Anyway, songs for today.

 

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was written by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Yip Harburg in 1939 for the movie Wizard of Oz. Written about the Jewish dreams, to become the symbol of the Jewish dream for a homeland.   https://youtu.be/PSZxmZmBfnU?si=pNcp65beVtN3V90u   

 

I’m sure that it’s a generational thing but Zvi and I both love Tom Lehrer. This one is so clever. National Brotherhood Week!  https://youtu.be/aIlJ8ZCs4jY?si=2qLzpGQbCwalgMLr  

 

Dreams and cynicism over….. Tribe of Brothers and Sisters sung by the much maligned Israeli Police (where are police not maligned) https://youtu.be/OwVhpiQzlUM?si=cIEJAd_oQ5W4d8-J

 

I wish you a peaceful Shabbat, without hate and the repercussions of lies. In this unpredictable world one thing is constant and that is love. If we love enough, teach love, speak love, reach out with love, we can make a small but significant dent in the sea of hate. Remember the power of one?

 

Shabbat Shalom and love, lots of it, from Jerusalem and our veranda

Sheila

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If the media does not inform us we must inform the media

My Website http://www.theviewfrommyveranda.info/

Facebook      Sheila Silver Raviv
Involvement   http://www.impact-se.org/ 

Board of Peace

 

23^rd January, 2026

5 Shevat 5786

 

Shabbat Shalom to one and all. Today I am going to dive right in with the Trump plans for our area.

 

Trump is not the first to say it or do it. The famous phrase "Speak softly and carry a big stick" was popularized by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who used it to describe his foreign policy approach of peaceful negotiation backed by the credible threat of military strength, embodying "Big Stick Diplomacy". While he presented it as a West African proverb, it's likely he coined the phrase, which became a cornerstone of his assertive but diplomatic international relations strategy. 

 

“The Board of Peace” sounds very far-fetched, perhaps illogical and yet for the first time the word peace has been used in relation to Gaza. Since its inception after WW2, the UN needed a replacement, an unbiased positive replacement and this may just be the answer. Perhaps, just perhaps the strange bedfellows put together by a President who doesn’t take no for an answer could just work. This week has brought ideas and solutions which have never been tried before and the principle in business of keeping your enemies close is not as crazy as it may first appear. Perhaps, just perhaps (I will use “perhaps” great deal in this missive) this President of the United States is sufficiently unpredictable as to worry our enemies into some form of submission. It will be a very expensive operation but the Gaza rehabilitation and reconstruction plan set forward by Jared Kushner (maybe not the Las Vegas part on the beach) could just be an answer, not the solution but one which brings hope. The demilitarisation of Hamas brings a tiny flicker of light to a deeply complex society. “Perhaps” is an awful lot better than the deep dismay and inevitability of continued warfare that we Israels have known in the past.

 

The second major “perhaps” is Iran. Iran was once ruled by a secular autocrat who, by the region’s grim standards, governed with relative restraint. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, ruled until 1979, when he was overthrown in the Islamic Revolution led by Khomeini. The monarchy was abolished and replaced with the Islamic Republic, ushering in extreme Sharia rule whose consequences are plain today. President Jimmy Carter’s administration played a pivotal role in this outcome, shifting from public support, famously toasting the Shah in Tehran in 1977 and calling Iran an “island of stability”, to quietly “encouraging” his departure as the regime collapsed. What is too often overlooked is the extraordinary bravery of Iranians now protesting this theocracy. To demonstrate is to risk death, and it is believed that tens of thousands have been killed in recent months. Perhaps only the pressure of a leader unwilling to accept intimidation will help Iran reclaim its freedom and, one day, its former dignity.

 

Perhaps another “perhaps” we should hope and pray that President Trump’s team truly understands the constants shaping our region and the wider world. These are not isolated threats, but interconnected ones, extending far beyond the Middle East to include Russia and China, and rooted in ideologies that openly aspire to global dominance. Plans to undermine the United States were articulated years ago, openly and methodically, as documented in the material presented in Philadelphia. https://extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs5746/files/2023-10/the-hamas-network-in-america.pdf  Hamas’s reach, we now know, extends well beyond Gaza, into towns and cities across the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, and much of Europe.

 

None of this is comfortable to acknowledge. Nor is it comfortable to say that, in this moment, an unpredictable, blunt, and even bullying president may be precisely what is required. I know—without a hint of perhaps—that many of you will recoil at this, convinced I have crossed some invisible line into cheerleading. That is not the point. This is not about affection or admiration. It is about urgency, realism, and resolve. And if we can move from endless “perhapses” to a clear-eyed “definite maybe”, that alone would feel like progress.

 

Another, less hopeful issue is the matter of Kurdistan, or the fragmented parts thereof. Don't look at this area through the lens of the west, look at it through the lens of it geopolitical influences. following the post-WWI collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. With a population of 40-45 million, the Kurds are a major stateless nation, Kurdish homeland across four countries, Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria none of whom acknowledge, or are willing to relinquish their claim or give autonomy or sovereignty to the Kurds who are rising up in anger at the lack of international recognition of their plight.

 

And so to Israel. One issue now dominates the thoughts and conversations of Israelis, at least those who are proud of their country, prepared to serve it, defend it, and raise their children to do the same. It is the growing anger at a small but vocal sector that abuses Judaism itself, making declarations that verge on treason while blocking major roads into and out of Jerusalem with their demonstrations, preventing those who actually go out to work and pay their taxes, from earning a living, while chanting, “Better to die than serve in the IDF.”

 

For me, the deepest tragedy is not only the disruption or the rhetoric, but the damage this distortion of Judaism has done to young secular Israelis, pushing many further away from their heritage altogether. At the same time, we must also confront another hard truth: there exists a very small group, tiny, but destructive, of violent extremists who terrorise ordinary Palestinians whose only “crime” is living nearby.

These two pathologies are not equivalent, but they share a corrosive effect: both undermine the moral fabric of Israel, and both demand honesty, courage, and firm leadership to confront them; that leadership is sorely missing right now.

 

I would hate you to think that everything is doom and depression here. Nothing could be further from the truth. The restaurants and coffee shops are still full, wedding and function halls burst at the seams, their loud music annoying anyone within a kilometre! We enjoy life a fact that may seem strange when many countries have declared us “red” a no-go advisory, and the aforementioned  Iranians threaten to launch a bombardment of ballistic missiles if the USA threatens their regime.

 

My lovely friend Jill and her two daughters, Ilana and Rebecca were undaunted by the news (especially the BBC known in this house as the Biased Bigots Collective). They walked and wandered happily and freely in Jerusalem old and new, visiting Shouks (markets) Jewish and Arab, the Kotel, generally amazed at the freedom of all faiths and races. Of course, their visit to Mahane Yehuda included buying and eating (obviously) wonderful delicacies from the now famous Tzidkiyahu family stall right at the beginning of the market. Jill and I enjoyed everything at a somewhat more sedate gait, neither of us exactly running around! We had delicious Shakshuka in Motzeleh with Rachel, who loves Jill as I do and yesterday we set off for Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzchak  where Jill lived and learned for two years to see Tzippi and Eliyahu.

 

On Sunday night we were in Tel Aviv to celebrate the Golden Wedding of Harold and Rebecca Finger. They must be doing something right, or married in the cradle, because they both look amazing!!!

 

I nearly missed telling you the sheer joy of being with my amazing son Gideon who came back for a few days, this time relaxing and resting in an Airbnb in Tel Aviv, a well earned rest, given with love by his incredible wife Stephanie.

 

Now for the best part. As I wrote last week, I am now 80 years old and still going strong. Unwilling to allow anything to stop me. What I am about to tell you was the height of my achievements. I organised my own birthday party, keeping its contents basically secret from everyone except Rachel without whose help I couldn’t have managed. Please please, don’t be cross if you were not on the list of invitees, I was limited in my numbers. So let me tell you about it. The event was appropriately held in the events hall in Shalva, my home from home. As people walked in, they saw a big sign announcing the party with a photo of me as a baby on it, then to the stand with all sorts of gifts for them, the best of all were Rachel’s “seed bombs”. Everything related to my love of gardening. As people walked into the room they were greeted with the sight of gold and white balloons on each table and the exquisite violin of Sasha, aka Alexandra Babakhanov, a beautiful and highly talented dear friend who played as they mingled and then ate from the delicious buffet and great wines including Yossi’s wine called Blind Taste, explanation to follow. A few people asked to speak but one I insisted that she speak, my Kinneret Chaya. I felt so proud and overwhelmed by the words of Gaby Hirsch, Marcus Sheff, Gideon (Israelis were staggered by his prowess and eloquence), Zvi’s son Leor, my Zvi, our grandchildren all of those in Israel. Yosef, Amit, Tomer, Sheli, Gili, Ayala, Ori, Yuval, Ella and Yonatan, stood in front of my friends and said beautiful things, Zvi, Shaiela, Ehud, Ronit sang my two favourite songs (Lelechet Shevi Achariich and of course Al Kol Eleh) accompanied by Sasha. Then Kinneret Chaya told of her/our story; of her injuries and recovery and our deep friendship including many tears and laughter. She ended it with words I have been waiting to hear since the 30^th of March 2002, she had decided that she wanted us to write a book taking the constant reports of her progress from near death to mother of four. Watch this space.

 

The incredible number of blessings and messages that I received for my birthday left me dumbfounded, or as one says in the UK, gobsmacked! The donations to Dr Dan’s Room have enabled even more activities and programmes and honour the memory of a very special man. Messages sent to Rachel rady to surprise me on my birthday ay came from my siblings, friends and family and very special ones from my daughter-in-law and granddaughter in NYC. Callie did a beautiful drawing! I was deeply moved by Kalman Samuels’ and the video he made for my birthday including Dr Dan’s Room.  https://youtu.be/ILotk4B86nw?si=GQPW7NPGkzzWfGbf

 

I promised you the explanation of Yossi’s wines, the story of Yossi Samuel, son of Kalman and Malki, founders of Shalva. Yossi, despite being blind and deaf communicates with presidents, film stars and Prime Ministers and is a fully fledged sommelier! This video is long but watching it one understands that even with the most extreme of tragedies, a beautiful place, a refuge and a beautiful man can emerge. https://youtu.be/TKbN5d3qUTQ?si=z45tdQmuqNyGNzIh

 

Music, beautiful music, is what we need in our lives to guide us through the best and worst of times.

 

My first choice, as you can imagine, is one of Sasha’s favourites, playing as she stands in the vineyards in the South . https://youtu.be/_c_u5uo6RZs?si=fvDLygDJOr2Kj7Kw

 

The next song, the beginning of an incredible ride of fame for the Shalva Band. A Million Dreams could well be an anthem for everyone who refuses to just sit back and allow their fate to be decided by others. https://youtu.be/4HWaldJt5Bc?si=vvrEe-3n6gcsjSzm

 

Valerie Hamati and Tamir Greenberg sang together in the finals of the choice for Israel’s Eurovision Song Contest. They didn’t win, although I adored them. Valerie sang in Arabic, Hebrew and English and Tamir Hebrew and English. Halleluyah as you have never heard it before.  https://youtu.be/irEpp0NsgkI?si=pEqgEnK_mcj-LWue

 

That’s it folks! Jill and I are off to see Rachel and family, to attempt to push my way through the masses to reach the challot in Nehama Bakeries. I don’t have to cook today since Amiad decided that I shouldn’t prepare for the family after a very busy but fabulous week.

 

I know there are things I didn’t get to this week but I don’t want to tire you out before Shabbat!!

 

If I have anything to add before Shabbat it is – Don’t refuse to accept ideas that may come from a source that you may dislike. One doesn’t have to love the source to accept a chance of hope in a hopeless situation. Of course, that covers life in general, but especially our confused and angry world of today. Open your minds to every train of thought hat brings hope to us, to others and to those who until now thought their lives were not worth living. As John Lennon said “All You Need Is Love” It may sound banal but, hey, life is banal without it!

 

Shabbat Shalom from beautiful Jerusalem, the ever breathtaking sight from our Veranda.

 

Sheila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeland

 

Friday the 9^th of January, 2026

20 Tevet 5786

825 days since October 7^th 2023

 

Shabbat Shalom to you and to your families.

 

Each week I try to find an apt quote, one that relates to all of us, whatever our faith, or lack of it. This week I chose the subject of Anti-Semitism. As you can imagine, there were many, but I don’t like to weigh you down with long-winded existential thoughts, I prefer simple truths and this quote from Jean-Paul Sartre is the simple truth.  “If the Jew did not exist, the anti-Semite would invent him.”

 

Why does it fit all of us? Because it is not only the Jew who is chosen for hatred, it is the vast majority (still) of normative people on this earth. Just this week 2 worshippers were killed during a funeral service, several wounded in shooting outside Salt Lake City church. Not the first LDS church attacked, certainly not the first nor the last church attacked.

 

The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, aka Albo, has paid attention to the strong criticism of his government following the Bondi attack on Chanuka. Unlike here in Israel, he has answered the call for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the period before the attack and the laxity in dealing with rising anti-Semitism which should have warned of an impending attack. Has he learned a lesson? Will the Australian police and legal system pay more attention to the rising threat? Only time will tell but, much as we have rightly criticised Albanese’s government, at least they have responded which sadly other countries have not.  This article by Former Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison, caught my eye https://www.scottmorrison.com.au/media/the-labor-party-made-australia-safe-for-antisemitism

 

This week, people about to board a flight to Israel in Milan Airport, were harassed and abused by a crowd of dozens of anti-Israel demonstrators. Why wasn’t it broken up at the very outset? Why did it reach the point that those passengers feared for their lives? As we say in the UK, I just don’t get it. Why, on the one side, are passengers not protected and more importantly, why do they need to be protected?

 

Have you seen the photographs of Angelina Jolie at the Gaza/Egypt border, her look of anguish so perfectly composed for the cameras? She, and so many of Hollywood’s self-appointed woke moral leaders, perform compassion effortlessly, as long as it fits the approved narrative. Yet time and again, they remain silent about persecuted Black Christians, because acknowledging them would disrupt the anti-Israel trope they so carefully maintain. The reality they ignore is brutal. In Nigeria alone, Open Doors reports that 4,407 Christians were abducted in the north-central region between 2020 and 2025. Adjusted for population size, Christians were 2.4 times more likely than Muslims to be kidnapped. This is not fashionable outrage, so it earns no photo ops, no speeches, and no hashtags—only silence from a woke elite far more interested in appearances than in truth.

 

Zvi and I are watching “Homeland” the US version of the Israeli series "Hatufim" (Prisoners of War), created by Gideon Raff. When the terrorist Abu Nazir is finally captured Abu Nazir tells Keri -

“We will succeed because you in the west with your beach houses and big houses are not a match for our determination and willingness to die for our cause”. As I have said so many times, complacency is the enemy in our fight to save society as we know it.

 

Crazy fact. The Emirates has limited funding for students that want to study in the UK for fear of them becoming a radicalised

 

Did you know that this has been a very important week in the Orthodox Church? The 6^th, 7^th and 8^th were the Orthodox Christmas. Just as in Judaism, the Christian Church has many denominations and the Orthodox Church itself is split into Russian, Ethiopian, Egyptian (Copt) Greek, Serbian, Romanian all of which have representation here in Jerusalem. Obviously the largest is the Russian, but all the others are also present here in this city of a thousand faiths.

 

When the Orthodox Christian Christmas appeared on my diary, I started to research the situation of Christians around the world and was horrified to discover that more than 380m Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/

 

So, Maduro, the dictator of Venezuela was captured proving yet again that President Trump does not threaten, he acts – probably the vast natural resources of that country helped the decision. The fascinating fact of the capture is that both he and Noriega were both captured on January 3^rd 30 years apart. One may ask if it affects Israel, as most things do. The decision to capture and officially arrest cruel dictator from South America has many implications around the world like throwing a stone into a pond and the ripples reach far and wide. It's put fear into the hearts of Iranian leaders and dictators around the world because President Trump goes far beyond the norms of international diplomacy into a world where the cruel are captured, arrested and held for trial

 

Here in Israel, we not only deal with Palestinian terror but also the terror imposed on Palestinians by the Hilltop Youth, the radicalized Jewish youth who attack ordinary Palestinians, burn their cars, homes and even physically attack. Finally, after far too long, the IDF has approved the wearing of electronic ankle bracelets by anyone suspected of such terror actions.

 

For weeks, almost daily, members of Peleg Yerushalmi (the Jerusalem Branch) the most extreme faction of the Jerusalem Haredi movement have blocked major roads at the entrance to Jerusalem and in Bnei Brak, chanting “Better to die than serve in the IDF” and clashing with police. Two days ago, the protests escalated when demonstrators attacked a bus, hurling stones and objects at it and threatening the driver, who called police in fear for his life. As the crowd rushed the bus, he accelerated to escape and tragically ran over 14-year-old Yosef Eisenthal, who the driver claimed he did not see, was killed. The driver has since been questioned and placed under house arrest. This tragedy was foreseeable: police, acting under orders from Internal Security Minister Ben Gvir, were instructed to go easy on the protesters and allow them to paralyse two of the country’s busiest roads, with devastating consequences.

 

Iran continues to issue its familiar threats towards Israel, speaking darkly of launching “a thousand missiles”. Meanwhile, inside Iran itself, a rather different drama is playing out. Large numbers of ordinary Iranians are taking to the streets once again, pushing back against more than four decades of clerical rule. The latest surge of protests followed a call to action from Reza Pahlavi, the exiled Crown Prince, whose name still carries a certain resonance. The son of Iran’s last shah, Pahlavi has long urged Iranians to challenge the Islamic Republic and has spoken of a future Iran aligned with the West, specifically including Israel. A curious historical footnote: on his 20th birthday in 1980, he declared himself Reza Shah II, a claim from which Washington promptly distanced itself. For all the noise about missiles, it may well be the steady determination of Iranians seeking change that turns out to matter far more.

 

Since lots of you have mentioned that you want to come to visit Israel, I thought I would include this interesting site of the finest parks in Israel! https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293977-Activities-c57-t67-Israel.html

 

Our estate, home to about 230 families, sits on the grounds of a truly magnificent historic building, once a convalescent home for senior civil servants. Built in classic Jerusalem stone and bearing more than a passing resemblance to the White House, it’s a place we all love living in. That said, we have long and loudly bemoaned one missing detail: the promised coffee shop.

 

This week, at last, it opened, with great fanfare, marked by real celebration and, naturally, a lecture on coffee (as one does) and the new coffee shop. With the addition of a Wellness Centre and now a coffee shop, something lovely has happened: the whole community comes together, from toddlers to grandparents, sharing space, conversation, and caffeine. It turns out that sometimes all a neighbourhood really needs to feel complete is good coffee (and some excellent pastries) and a place to sit and enjoy them together.

 

The blessed rain came down last night with such force that we have a leak beneath on of our windows, staining the Jerusalem stone that we carefully preserved inside out apartment! Oh well, Hopefully no actual damage and the window man is coming on Sunday to check it out.

 

I have a very exciting week ahead of me! Not only will we celebrate my 80^th birthday, but great friends are coming to celebrate with me. Jill, Ilana and Rebecca, mother and two daughters, are flying in on my birthday and Gideon, my incredible, amazing son is arriving the next morning. The reason they are coming is to celebrate my birthday in a family and friends get together in Shalva which we will hold on Saturday evening. Arrangements made, Rachel has created some surprises for guests and hopefully everyone will enjoy themselves. I wish I could have invited all of you, but the hall is a small one. I don’t want gifts so have asked everyone to donate to Dr. Dan’s Room in Shalva, the Studio for the Performing Arts that we created in Shalva. https://give.shalva.org/daniel

 

Shlomo Artzi is so much more than a singer/songwriter. He is a fine example of a caring Israeli, an Israel through and through. He visits injured soldiers, sings to widows, shows up at funerals, a real mensch. This song explains the Israeli state of mind perfectly “We Don’t Need More” https://youtu.be/nrhOtJS3psQ?si=q4OI1hUEmbVOU24g

 

Each morning one says the prayer thanking the Almighty for returning us to life, to giving us back our existence. Modeh Ani, here sung by Omer Adam. https://youtu.be/npRw36_Ftmc?si=E6EwWj22bv_NIosH

 

I was thinking back to innocent times of my youth, to the hope we all had in our hearts that love, simple love could change the world. We almost succeeded but then the world turned on its axis – but I thought we could all use a reminder of those sweeter, kinder times of a social revolution started by four tousle hair boys from Liverpool and their genius musical director George Martin. https://vimeo.com/864434625

 

That’s all Folks! Time to get myself together for Shabbat! Zvi has left for his parliament in the Botanical Gardens. Before I go, however, I wanted you to be reminded of this speech. Can you imagine a leader whose only care is to see a world in which honesty and truth rule? This speech from the Great Dictator is a dream, Charlie Chaplin’s dream, but oh my goodness it is truly powerful.  https://youtu.be/J7GY1Xg6X20?si=O1p4OTAWCOcmGcOS

 

Shabbat Shalom to you all, one and all, with wishes for a more understanding world. Just remember, it starts with one, the power of one. We are the only ones who can control OUR environment and by doing so one by one, remembering that whatever words we say cannot be taken back except for words of love which should always go both ways.

 

With love from Jerusalem

Sheila