170324
24TH
March 2017
Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. This week has been overtaken by deep sadness as terror
strike again, this time in the heart of London. 4 people lost their lives
including an unarmed policeman, Constable Keith Palmer, just 44 years
old, who, through his incredible bravery, stopped the slaughter by halting the
terrorist in his tracks.
For those who do not
know the area surrounding the Houses of Parliament, the bridge over the River
Thames leading to the exquisite architecture of the Palace of Westminster, is a
favourite tourist site, giving a wonderful aspect of the embankment and the
Parliament buildings including the Elizabeth Tower which houses the Big Ben
Bell. Security is always heavy; protecting both tourists and parliamentarians
alike – secure in rational terms but nothing can protect us from the insanity
of vehicular terror attacks. My heart goes out to Londoners and tourists alike,
those who were killed and their families, those who were injured and those who
saw sights that nobody should ever see. May the souls of those who died rest in
peace.
Col Richard Kemp Tweeted Police: "London attacker was inspired by international
terrorism." No, he was inspired by violent Islamic doctrine.
The Metropolitan
police
work closely with Israeli security services on how to fight terror and they
reported that over 100 potential attacks had been prevented but even the
highest level of security cannot stop each attack. Prison, prison is the school
for terrorists and hatred. Be it British prisons, Israeli, American, European,
indeed all over the world jails are the pressure cookers of Islamic fundamentalist recruitment. Those
within are often disenchanted with society, social misfits who never found
their place are suddenly part of a group, find religion and become soft targets
for extremely clever manipulators who convince them that their acceptance is
dependent upon the death of infidels wherever and whenever they may be. Most are
not immigrants, many like Khalid Massoud, are born in Britain. Massoud was born
and brought up in in area near Birmingham where many Asians settled and
thrived. If you want to understand the process of indoctrination you need to
understand the Imams who teach young
people hatred of the country which welcomed their parents and grandparents and
everything Britain (indeed anywhere) stands for. Please see the clever and
terrifying Allah Islam by Zvi Yehezkeli who went undercover in Europe and
Britain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR7REARFFpQ
Not everything is as simple and clear as it seems. The terrifying threats on JCC's across America distressed and
disturbed whole communities and fingers were pointed at President Trump for
awakening the ugly face of anti-Semitism in America. The threats were a clever
play, a malevolent, cruel plot by a 19 year old American born Israeli. Beyond
understanding that a Jew could possibly have devised such a cruel plan, worse
that it diminished the genuine threats to a news item about an Israeli instead
of highlighting a real danger.
Hillel Neuer is the founder
of an amazing organisation which fearlessly stands up in the UN to put Israel's
case. He pointed out that while the UN is obsessed with the Palestinian
"refugees" (the only ones in the world who can inherit the status)
nobody has given a moments thought to the Jews who fled Arab countries. Perhaps
the reason is because we never asked for a penny in assistance from the UN
because they came home from dispersion. https://www.unwatch.org/
Prime Minster Netanyahu has been travelling a great deal recently; at first in Africa and most
recently in Asia. The purpose is to widen Israel's economic base since the USA
and Europe have become uncertain economic partners. This visit, long in
preparation, is to strengthen China-Israel economic relations but also to
ensure that Chinese companies do not meet with Israeli businessmen and simply
copy the product as happened in the past. It certainly seemed a warm discourse.
The war in Syria becomes more and more horrific.
The number of dead has risen above 500,000 and has been mis-handled from the
very beginning. Nobody knows who is fighting whom and the human tragedies
continue unabated. What is proportional response? One wonders why the outcry
was not stronger when a school/shelter was bombed in an American airstrike and
33 (at least) civilians, mostly children, were killed. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/03/22/Airstrike-kills-33-civilians-in-Syrian-shelter-near-Raqqa/9621490177577/
Hundreds of bottles of booze were uncovered near
Ramle in the remains of an old British fort used during WW1. I have a feeling
the drinks came from the Officers Mess. Why? Because the bottles contained both
whisky and gin. Gin of course was imbibed by the officer class, a habit from
the time of the Raj in India when Gin and Tonic was the prescribed antidote to
malaria!!! The embossed name of Gordons Gin stood out but no tonic was found! http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Hundreds-of-liquor-bottles-belonging-to-British-Soldiers-from-WWI-unearthed-484859
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has undergone
constant restoration since coming back into Israeli hands after 1967. I still
remember going there in 1967 and feeling sadness and the dilapidation of the
entire Church. Well now the latest restoration is magnificent and is of the
Tomb of Jesus. See for yourselves http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/22/watch-live-restored-jesuss-tomb-unveiled-holy-sepulchre/amp/
As I told you we went to Akko (Acre) and Rosh
Hanikra last weekend with Zvi's choir and our little grand-daughter Amit.
Leaving Jerusalem at 06:30 we headed north. Our driver was a brave man, driving
a choir yet singing his heart out most of the route! First we went to the Old
City of Acre and the Fort which served as a prison for "Jewish Underground"
basically of the Lehi or Stern Gang and the Irgun where they were held by the
British. They determined to escape and luckily very few died but one was Yair
Stern, leader of the Lehi. His son and daughter in law are looking for any
information about him. If you have anything please send to me. http://www.zionistarchives.org.il/en/AttheCZA/Pages/Stern.aspx
It was far from a picnic in the prison;
crowded, with simple woven rugs as mattresses and basic food but as you will
see later it could have been a lot worse. http://www.akko.org.il/en/Old-Acre-The-Underground-Prisoners-Museum-
From Acco we
went to Rosh Hanikra. So exquisite, her caves and tunnels carved out of the
sandstone rock by the mighty sea Rosh Hanikra provides food for the soul in her
beauty. We then went back to our Youth Hostel – as good as most hotels – for Shabbat.
Friday night we learned about the many tunes associated with each familiar
prayer, a lecture by our friend Dr Motti Friedman then too exhausted to dally
we went to sleep. Next morning we set of on foot to explore Acco's Old City.
The Crusader great halls have been recently excavated, discovered whn a lady
had trouble with her plumbing, the plumbers dug down and found……….. a labarynth
of enormous rooms in an incredible state which told stories of the Templars and
the Hospitalers. Our guide, Eva, ensured we saw every fascinating facet. Acco,
Akko, Acre, irrelevant how you say it it is deeply important as a Napoleonic/
Crusader/ Ottoman and Jewish city. Akko is before all else a Moslem City and
Israel would never ever try to claim otherwise. http://www.akko.org.il/en/Old-Acre-The-Ottoman-Crusader-Route-
In the afternoon Azzam Azzam came to talk to
us. Azzam Azzam, an expert in textiles and ladies underwear had been sent by
the Israeli company he worked for, to negotiate with the Egyptian
manufacturers. An Israeli Druze, Azzam was fluent in Arabic and seemed the
ideal candidate. On his last day after buying gifts for his 4 children and his
wife, he headed back to the hotel to pack. He was met by two burly men who
roughly bundled him into a car, blindfolded and terrified, and taken to a
prison where he was beaten and starved. It was some time before he was tried
and given a 9 year sentence as a spy for Israel – no proof, no witness, no
reason. The Israeli Embassy worked tirelessly to free him and Prime Minsters
worked to free him. Early in the story his wife had been to see Ariel Sharon,
then a Minister. Sharon promised that if he became Prime Minister the first
thing he would do is to free Azzam. So it was. The story is complex and told
with incredible good humour and self-effacement. The torture he endured in the
filthy prison, sent there by Mubarak himself, was slightly eased when he
learned that Mubarak and his sons were imprisoned in the same jail. A true
patriot, true Israeli whose entire
family served in the IDF and who loves Israel as no other. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKBqFsq5kCk
So tell me – how many cupboards have you cleaned?
How ready are you for Pesach? I am doing one cupboard a day –and we have Zvi's
boys and children coming for Shabbat dinner tonight so they will help me get
rid of a lot of food from the freezer – they are good eaters!!! Tonight we have
two soups (Pumpkin and pea), Meatballs in Chraime sauce; Chicken patties for
the children and pulkes in onion sauce all together with various salads and
ptittim (rice shaped pasta) with onion. I will light the Shabbat candles with
the little girls then Zvi will lead Kiddush in his amazing bass baritone and
bless the homemade Challah – I decided to let Rachel off this week and make my
own. I think I will try a 7 strand this week. I will take the children out onto
the verandah to see the incredible array of spring flowers – bright reds,
purples and yellow from bulbs we bought in Holland last summer.
Tomorrow we will go for a walk in the Gazelle Park
just down the road to the right or maybe walk to the Biblical zoo on the left
cutting through my special park; we'll see what the weather does!!!
Dame Vera Lynn sang to
Britain and held the Bulldog spirit alive during the 6 long years of WW2 with
her sweet voice, natural strength and beauty. Dame Vera celebrated her 100th
birthday this week. So I chose to give you the song for which this East End
Jewish girl became loved. We'll meet again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49xzZkepaGY
While looking for a song to lift our spirits when
the world seems to have gone crazy I found this one by Yaakov Shwekey. I
Believe - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faNLvNovR7E&list=PLWX0OTvMdMdPET4i-OSu3FCBhV6pjejOs
So that's it. Another week has gone by, Zvi is with
his Parliament putting the world to rights. My Challa is rising and needs to be
kneaded – the table is set, the food cooked and Shabbat is coming in later this
week because we are on summer time!!
Shabbat Shalom dear friends. Let us all determine
to make our lives sweeter this week, no matter what horrible news is thrown at
us – because the best way to defeat evil is to succeed, to thrive, to live our
lives in freedom.
With love
Sheila
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