170915
15th September 2017
Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I hope you had a good
week and are feeling well. I remember how we used to snigger at our elders when
they wished each other a year of good health, but in truth it is our number one
priority. We can overcome almost anything if we feel strong.
I often wonder how people live in Florida, the
glorious Caribbean and of course California cope with the repetitive dangers of
hurricanes and earthquakes. In fact one can include Mexico, Texas, Louisiana,
so many places yet we are frequently asked how we cope with living in a
dangerous place! Being Jewish and Israeli we obviously have many friends in
Florida and were deeply concerned about the path of Irma, and watched reports
to check constantly. Being Jewish and Israeli we were proud of the many aid
groups who rushed to the aid of our greatest ally. Hazalah, ZAKA and many first responders were
in Florida and iAid and IsraAid were in Florida and the Caribbean Islands many
of which were devastated. It is who we are, we take Tikkun Olam very seriously.
I was horrified to read this week that the
State Department of the USA intends returning Jewish books, texts and documents
of the Iraq Jewish community to the Iraqi Government. How can they do it? Iraq
is in chaos, they decimated their Jewish population that had to flee and yet they
give them precious documents, perhaps the last remaining proof of the Jewish Community
of Iraq.
The law to include Haredi Jews in the
conscription to the IDF passed this week. I have a sneaky feeling that despite
Rosh Hashana and Slichot we may have trouble this weekend.
The new code word for the intelligentsia is
"Intersectionality". I hate these cobbled together words with a vengeance
but it explains the danger of labelling and factions beautifully. Professor
Alan Dershowitz wrote "Intersectionality is another code word for
Anti-Semitism" http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/alan-dershowitz-intersectionality-is-a-code-word-for-anti-semitism/article/2618871
Extremism comes in many forms, it is not the
realm of the right, more and more it shows it's ugly head on the left. Michael
Moore standing holding a poster "I am a Muslim" abusing the Je Suis
Paris after the horrific terror attack there. Here in Israel the Screen Actors
Guild of Israel has an award ceremony coming up, paid for out of government
funds but the Minister of Sport and Culture has been uninvited because her
political beliefs differ from theirs. Theatre, a law unto itself without
accepting responsibility.
It is time we stopped labelling people, stopped
trying to define "Who is a Jew"? -stopped putting people into boxes
because underneath – we are all the same. Some good, some cruel, some
exceptional, some mediocre, some brilliant, some stupid but we are all the
same.
The essence of Slichot, the period before the high holy days where we beg
forgiveness for our sins, is tolerance. Tolerance, Sovlanut. Sovlanut comes
from the same root as patience in Hebrew – Savlanut – because if you
think about it all we all need to achieve Sovlanut is Savlanut. The patience to
listen, the patience to observe, the patience to recognise that even if someone
is different from us they deserve our ear, not necessarily agreement but to
listen to them and find out why they feel and think the way they do. Perhaps
they never had the chance to learn otherwise because they were never taught the
principles of Savlanut and Sovlanut.
At the risk of sounding like John Lennon -
IMAGINE. Imagine that we each accepted the difference, the other, without
expecting them to be like us. What an amazing world it could be. Impact-se http://www.impact-se.org/ is making slow, but definite, progress toward
that aim, through research and recommendations to introduce respect for the
other – Sovlanut – into curricula around the world.
We reached the 100th anniversary of
the Balfour Declaration. We all know about the usual statements about it
being unfair and illegal, even though it was neither, but every so often someone
stands up to be counted. Sajid Javid, a British Cabinet Minister says
Britain will celebrate the Balfour Declaration Anniversary with pride. https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/09/12/british-cabinet-minister-uk-will-celebrate-100th-anniversary-of-balfour-declaration-with-pride/
Incredibly it is a whole year since Shimon
Peres passed away. His political journey from right to left led to him
being a fine President, recognised for his brilliance and love of Israel. His famous
quote perhaps typifies our situation here in the Middle East better than any
other "If a problem has no solution, it may not be a
problem, but a fact - not to be solved, but to be coped with over time."
The anniversary of his death coincides with the
anniversary of the Entebbe Operation. An operation filled with derring
do and heroism, the rescue of those captured in Idid Amins Uganda, Entebbe, is
one for the history books. Shimon Peres was the Defence Minister and he spoke
thus to the IDF who carried out the mission “You left a
very worried country but you returned to a very proud country. We owe you our
thanks for this,” he said. “You take a risk, perhaps greater than you realized…
this was carried out in an exceptional and perfect way.” Here Peres greets the captives from the aeroplane as they landed
in Israel https://www.timesofisrael.com/in-audio-released-year-after-his-death-peres-greets-entebbe-hostages-rescuers/
On Sunday I went with my friend Nitza to the Israel
Museum where we saw the excellent Dan Reisinger exhibit then the official
guide of the Ai Weiwei exhibit. It really is a magnificent exhibit and the
explanation of each of his pieces brings his work to light.
On Tuesday I met a very special lady, Gloria
Goldstein, at the First Station, together with her very pregnant grand-daughter
Ilana and her husband Elad. Of course the talk turned to babies and birth and I
was thrilled to hear that the birth will be at Shaare Zedek Hospital where my
three Israeli grandchildren were born. I even gave her a few tips as to which
midwife to talk to so she gets immediate attention!!! I love the First Station –
it buzzes with activity and has great restaurants.
Talking of the First Station, one of it's first managers and initiators is Ofer
Berkovitch. Ofer has moved on to become Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem and
activist for the city. Ofer sees Jerusalem as a city for all her residents, not
any one sector and works his heart out to ensure it will happen. We heard his
plans at a meeting of his mentors, we heard the problems he faces and the plans
he has for the future. Ofer brings hope for a bright future for Jerusalem and I
feel very confident that despite enormous difficulties that he faces in the
Municipality he will ensure that Jerusalem stays multicultural and free.
The news just came in that a bomb exploded on a
London Tube near Parsons Green Station. So far
there are no deaths because it was a very amateurish device but many have burns
from the device and injuries from the panic rush to get away from the station.
What evil fanaticism can make a person take a bucketful of explosives
(apparently also chemicals) onto a crowded commuter train and explode it? What
teachings have brainwashed gullible minds? Why would the recipients of every
possible social service and kindness decide to wreak havoc in the lives of so many?
If they think it will make all infidels turn to Mecca and pray they are wrong.
They do a huge disservice to their religion and to their host countries. I am
angry.
It seems inane to go from reporting a terror
attack to telling you how beautiful Jerusalem is. We are beginning to leave the
searing heat behind and our evenings are cooler and breezy. Sitting on our
Veranda is becoming a pleasure again. Oh how I love our veranda…….. it isn't
just the flowers, fruits, herbs and the view, it is because all of the above
are in Jerusalem. I really miss my family, spread all over the world and my
friends, and wish they could all come to sit with us to look over the panorama
of Jerusalem and understand why we love it so much – this house always has enough
food and a warm welcome.
I was thrilled this week to discover that
thanks to Dubi Gordon there are another 500 readers of this newsletter. Thanks
Dubi, good Shabbes
Next Year in Jerusalem, the constant prayer of the Jewish people. Today's Torah
Portion speaks of Moses prediction that after we spread all over the world
there will be an ingathering. Jerusalem, Jerusalem – this song even talks about
our Veranda!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCTw6xWqRVA
Peace will come to us, peace will come to all
of us. Shalom, Salaam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhnPVP23rzo
Finally, I need to lift my heart and yours with
me so………. I Can Be, Yaakov Shwekey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3nF2KHmQ60
With all our love from beautiful Jerusalem. Zvi
and I have a quiet Shabbat in front of us as we prepare for the craziness of
Rosh Hashana and Shabbat all together – no diets this coming week! I am going
to take my rotten cough to bed now – Zvi has gone to his parliament at the
Hebrew University Coffee Shop so I don't need to worry, all the ills of the
world will be sorted by the time he gets home!
Shabbat Shalom everyone!
Sheila
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