Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem - Special

131025

25^th October 2013

Shabbat Shalom everyone. Yes I know I didn't write last week but the reason will become clear in a minute or two.

Haim Saban lives in Los Angeles but his heart remains in Israel. Each year he throws a bigger and bigger bash for the Friends of the IDF and this year was spectacular with Lionel Ritchie and Simon Cowell taking part. The evening raised $20 million for our beautiful boys and girls.

http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/FIDF-gets-funding-boost-from-Haim-Saban-and-Simon-Cowell-329551

I admit that I get very angry when people generalise, particularly when it come to Moslem Israelis, many of whom (especially Bedouin and Druze) give of themselves to the IDF and the country. Now a Druze officer has reached the high position of Commander of the elite Golani unit.http://www.timesofisrael.com/in-first-druze-officer-to-lead-golani-brigade/

Poor Rihanna. She loves Israel and this week came for her second concert in Tel Aviv, having performed in the area. Someone who did not do her homework, in Ha'aretz of course, reported that Rihanna changed the lyrics of one of her songs to say something about loving Palestine. Rubbish – never did and never was!!!! http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/did-haaretz-misleads-its-readers-about-rihanna/

From Maurice Ostroff

“The Methodist Church of Great Britain with its 6,000 churches has around 300,000 members. Although the Church already supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), it has now launched a public consultation with a questionnaire about the subject. The results will be debated next year at the annual Methodist Conference which has engaged in debate on Israel and Palestine frequently over the past 15 years. Background notes and the questionnaire are available at  http://www.methodist.org.uk/bdsbriefingAnti-Israel organizations have been quick to urge their followers  to strongly support BDS in their responses. Click here for a memorandum I sent to the Methodist Church http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/methodist-church-of-britain-consults-the-public-about-bds/"

Local elections took place throughout Israel. Some were more exciting than others but I concentrated on Jerusalems elections. Zvi and I supported Hitorerut "Awakening" a party made up of young vibrant, socially aware people who support and agree with the policies and intentions of Mayor Nir Barkat, the incumbent, who we also supported. The other contender was former Director of the Prime Ministers office Moshe Leon, a good man but not a Jerusalemite and backed by people who are, in the eyes of the voters, dubious. The final outcome was better than anyone could have expected with Mayor Barkat returning with 4 council seats, Hitorerut with 4 seats, Jerusalemites with 2 giving the similar minded group 10 seats - more than any recent Mayor on the 31 seat council. This will give them the ability to go ahead with their plans to provide cultural and physical amenities for all of Jerusalems citizens - without harming the spiritual and religious aspects that cannot and should not be ignored. Zvi was number 10 on the Hitorerut list - which gave them a boost but no-one expected him to get in. He was there as mentor and certainly elevated the average age of the group!!!!! http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Hitorerut-party-looks-to-wake-up-Jerusalem-328935

Now for my reason for not writing last week. My daughter underwent surgery and I was busy at Shaare Zedek hospital. You must understand that her ein Israel the families are very much part of the patients treatment, most having someone sleep beside them. We were in the ENT and otolaryngology department where the team, from the cleaners to the porfessors were phenomenal – incredibly caring and loving. I have to admit that my favourite nurse was a tiny lady from Ethiopia who was born to nurse, to care for others with the widest knowledge I have ever known. The doctors too – especially doctor Majiid and Doctor Hajaj.

Shabbat in Shaare Zedek is different to anything I have ever seen! It began with Zvi and Philip (my daughters father) singing a Kabbalat Shabbat for the room and continued with fun and stories into the night – relieving the pain and distress. Everybody has a parent of family member to stay with them. When I slept over I slept in the chair, when it was Philips turn to sleep over he had a bed but one night he went out of the room for five minutes and returned there was a young smiling Arab lady patient in his place!!!

This is a religious Jewish hospital yet each level of care is mixed – including the patients. The Yuri Shtern Foundation helped me so much with therapies at my daughters bedside and when I found a lonely American lady who had no-one I called them and before I could get to her to tell her about it they were at her bedside. I beg of you to read this, to open their link and recognise the importance of this group of volunteers – who need donations urgently to continue their blessed work.http://www.yurishtern.org.il/eng/content.php?id=17

On Wednesday we went for blood tests and the nurse in the Health fund clinic was a young and amazing Arab nurse who was so helpful and kind.

In other words – don't believe a word the media tries to tell you!!! This is a wonderful society, a caring society and all logical people know exactly what the truth is.

So that is the excitement of the last two weeks. Thank G-d she is back with her beautiful children this Shabbat. I wish her, them and all of us a Shabbat Shalom

I want to dedicate this little video to my children. I'll love you foreverhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAxrTyV9afs or without Joey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z-oBkgJ4Ow

For Shabbat – for all of us, the women amongst us and for my baby girl in particular – a true Eshet Chayil http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsH0Tp0tFZk

Shabbat Shalom

With love from Jerusalem and the View from our Veranda

Sheila