170929
29th
September, 2017
Shabbat
Shalom, Shana Tova and Gmar Hatima Tova.
Tonight
we have a chance to change, a chance to improve ourselves and to atone for the
things we did or said. Forgiveness is not automatic, we must pledge to do
better and most importantly of all, we must apologise in person to those we
have offended or hurt. It is not enough to regret words that came out of your
mouth like spears – one must go to the person we shot down and express our
determination never to hurt them again. Yom Kippur is not just about refraining
from food – it is about Tikkun Adam – it is a promise to elevate ourselves
above petty, thoughtless comments.
This
has been a dreadful week in Israel. Beyond the tragedies that befell the world
at the hands of nature we have the tragedies that man causes man.
Imagine
living in a sleepy dormitory town, beautiful houses, manicured gardens,
professional people, generally left wing on "Kav ha Tefer" the seam-line;
you have someone who comes to work as a handyman cum cleaner every week and he
becomes a friend. Jamal Nimer was one of the workers and was specially loved by
those in whose homes he worked. One woman described him as a family member,
sitting for breakfast with the family before work and chatting over coffee at
his break he claimed to be repulsed by the extremists who became terrorists. He
worked for her for 4 years. Jamal was not all he appeared to be.
Jamal
was 37 years old,
married with 4 children but he had a secret – he beat his wife and she left him
escaping to Jordan, leaving him to fend for the 4 children. This week, when he
came to the checkpoint, the guards sensed something different, called the IDF Border
Guards and when they approached he pulled a gun from his sweater and shot them
all at point blank range. He knew them all, had exchanged friendly words with
them, but he shot and killed them. He need no longer worry about his children's
financial situation because his family will now receive a pension for life from
the aid your country sends to the PA. https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5021069,00.html
It
reminded me of Hassan, who was, we thought, a close friend but after he
killed an Israeli officer and was killed himself, we found out he was a senior
member of the Tanzim, the military wing of Fatah. How can anyone in pastoral
Har Adar ever trust again. Many Palestinians will no longer have work for that
reason.
I met Rachel
and the children in the Garden Centre in Givat Zeev (according to CNN,
BBC, a "settlement"). The garden centre is owned by two young Palestinians
who do very well. I was unsurprised to see soldiers, Rabbis, locals come in and
hug the Palestinian owners, chat and talk about families. That's what we do!
I
have an amazing friend called Merav. Merav has two beautiful daughters, both of
whom are autistic. She is very involved in Shalva, an exceptional organisation
which gives love to the whole family of autistic children http://www.shalva.org/new/ I love Merav and we met for lunch in Caffit,
in the Botanical Gardens. As we sat in the gentle autumn sunshine, beside the lake,
I looked around at the people sitting enjoying the food – Arab women in Hijab,
Religious people, tourists and people like Merav and I – just having fun. It is
something that most miss – we actually live together in harmony – it is the
exception that destroys all our lives.
Here
there was huge uproar because Interpol is admitting the Palestinian
Authority to its ranks. No, they will not be privvy to sensitive
information, yes it means they will have to take responsibility for their
criminals and perhaps terrorists can now be extradited!
Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands, most of the Caribbean, Florida, Texas, Mexico, India,
Pakistan and Nepal are all reeling after terrible natural disasters. Most are complaining
of the slow response to their plight but incredibly Israeli aid teams are
already in most of those countries. It seems that the wheels of bureaucracy
grind very slowly because I remember the howls of dismay after Katrina and I
hear them again. Tikkun Olam needs no bureaucracy.
The
German people are in a state of shock. Angela Merkel won the elections but the
far right party made huge gains, taking third place. Last night Zvi and I went
on a Jerusalem Press Club tour of religious neighbourhoods to experience
Selichot. We met two delightful German journalists and I spoke to Jose-Julio
about the election results. As in many places in Europe the fear of xenophobia
is replaced by the fear of terrorism and drastic changes to German society both
socially and demographically by the huge influx of immigrants. The right is
winning on the fear front.
I'm
sure you won't be surprised to know that we had another crazy week! Friday night,
which coincided with Rosh Hashana, we were 20 people at our Shabbat Dinner. As
usual I made too much food but the children always take some home anyway!!!
Saturday night we popped into Irit and Itzik Lev's in Tel Aviv to wish Irit a very
happy birthday and then went on to the Cameri Theatre for an excellent show.
The
Smadar Cinema is a Jerusalem Institution. Situated in the German Colony,
surrounded by Templar buildings, it is a small cozy cinema, which has been
totally refurbished and we went to the celebratory re-opening. Deputy Mayor
Ofer Berkivitch spoke beautifully about the history of the Smadar, and then
we saw a marvellous French movie called "Burgundy". The next day we collected
Ella and Yonatan from their new kindergarten, played in the park and then took
them for a delicious ice cream in Vaniglia in Tel Aviv, left them with their
Mummy Noga then went on to the Cameri theatre again! The play was funny and
clever about the intended marriage between the children of a Tel Aviv secular,
left wing family and a traditional, right wing settler family. It was fascinating
and many truths were told through humour.
Last
night we toured the Haredi Geulah and
the Bucharian Quarter to see and hear the Selichot. Our guide Zippi,
herself a Haredi woman, is an expert on the streets where she grew up, a
journalist and very open to life in general. It was fascinating to see the
flurry of activity as people rushed to Selichot (repentance) services and tried
to finish preparations for their Succot (Tabernacles) choosing decorations from
the gaudy stock of the local shops.
What is
Selichot? http://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/selichot-prayers-of-repentance/
In Judaism it is not enough to apologise, one must truly repent ones sins and
if one has sinned against another human being one cannot expect forgiveness
from the Almighty, one must achieve forgiveness from the person. To walk around
these neighborhoods and absorb the way of life which hasn't changed in hundreds
of years is incredible – to do so with people who are not Jewish and are unfamiliar
is even better. We ended the night with a super meal at Shtissel Restaurant –
Potato Kugel, Cholent, Tsimmes, Gefilte Fish……….. yes of course it was Ashkenaz
yet surprisingly familiar to the German journalists!!!
I was
trying to think what to write to you about Kippur. How do I relate to it? How
do I choose to repent? Then I received Rabbi Jeremy Rosens missive of the week
and I found it.-- http://jeremyrosen.com/2017/09/who-am-i.html
"Our task on Yom Kipur is to spend time
thinking about where we stand in this world. Who are we? What are we? Every
year we should go through this cathartic experience. This painful process of
self-examination. In my case, it is all the more necessary and painful, because
I really am a crazy, mixed-up kid. I live in two cultures: Jewish and
non-Jewish. Within Judaism I exist in my own cocoon, part conformist and part
anti-establishment. I can recognize the need for authority, and I rebel against
it. I am a rootless cosmopolitan and proud of it. Yet I am passionate about my
homeland, for all its problems. Of course, I reflect on this a lot of the time.
But somehow Yom Kipur gives it an added urgency and time without distractions."
Yom
Kippur is not about fasting, about suffering hunger pangs and making them the
central point – one fasts in order to concentrate upon praying and repenting.
The very prayers are so deeply meaningful – the Torah readings appropriate –
Yom Kippur is about who we are and what we can achieve as individuals if we
just understand our mistakes and try to put them right.
In the
past I was hurt in ways I cannot describe by those who should have protected me,
but I wish them no harm, I wish them only good health, clear conscience and a
life full of sweetness. Make your vengeance about making your life as
fulfilling as you possibly can
The
solemnity of Kippur, the Day of Atonement, means there are no songs that will
fill you with joy. There is one however, the prayer which heralds Yom ha Kippurim,
Kol NIidre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKBkn4JHZfU
Cantor Helfgot and Yitzchak Perlman – two men of high and beautiful character.
Instead
of another song I want to give you the Story of Jonah (which we read tomorrow)
as told by a marvellous little girl. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VrujheblY Nineveh is Mosul in Iraq, its near
destruction by evil forces is as relevant today as in the Bible.
I am
about to go to Givat Zeev to see Rachel and the children before the Chag and
give them hugs. It is an essential part of my Shabbat/Chag.
Tonight
everything will stop. No cars, no buses, no taxis, no trucks; the silence
broken only by the squeals of children as they ride their bikes on the empty
roads. We will walk up to the synagogue in Ramat Sharett, I love it because it
is traditional, tiny, accepting and a beautiful mix of Sefardi and Ashkenaz.
Tucked away in a little alley beside a supermarket it is everything I need to
allow me to pray.
If I
have ever offended you apologise from the depths of my heart, I promise to do
better in the future – it was never my intention to hurt you.
I wish you a Gut Yomtov, Chag Sameach, Gmar
Hatima Tova – May you be inscribed in the good Book.
With
love from beautiful Jerusalem,
Sheila
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