171215
15th
of December 2017
Shabbat
Shalom! Chag Sameach…… In Israel we tend to say "Festival of Lights"
rather than just Happy Chanuka because our story represents the shining of
light upon us all as well as the miracle of the 8 days of oil and the first
time Jews decided to truly defend themselves.
Jerusalem
is awash with highly fattening fried goods in the guise of sufganiyot (doughnuts)
and Svinch (aMoroccan fried doughnut). Most Israelis are not happy with the
traditional jam doughnuts so they come in every conceivable gourmet flavour
with exquisite decorations. Some are crazy expensive and some are beautiful but
inexpensive! http://www.tribunejuive.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/gateauxh258.jpeg
The
famous Jerusalem Chanukiot are out on display outside the houses of the
Old City and the Christmas trees are already distributed to the Christian
communities. It really is the season of goodwill for most.
Sadly
the Mayor of Nazareth doesn't understand goodwill for all his residents.
He has cancelled all of the Christmas celebrations in Nazareth whose Christian
community is declining. He claims it is because of President Trumps
announcement on Jerusalem – or maybe he feels that the next pronouncement will
be that Nazareth is Christian…….. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nazareth-cancels-christmas-celebration-trump-jerusalem-move-article-1.3697859
I
wonder what the European and British leaders would have to say about that one.
Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, hands out Christmas trees and hangs Christmas
decorations and lights on the streets leading to Bethlehem while Nazareth and
Bethlehem ………… no I am not going to spoil my Chanuka mood!!!
There
is an Israeli expression "Any reason to celebrate" (kol siba le
mesiba) which is what we tend to do – celebrate everything! Unfortunately it
has become a negative expression too. The angry demonstrations which have taken
place around the world because an American President had the courage to declare
the obvious have been taken as any excuse to kill a few Jews. As always the
South of Israel had rockets launched at her cities – in fact one rocket fell on
an Israeli kindergarten, luckily empty, and another fell inside Gaza on an
UNWRA school, but I can assure you they didn't report it!
This
Chanuka has not been a happy one for everyone and the Israeli economy has taken
a huge blow in the fall of a giant. Teva Pharmaceuticals had it all –
then one very bad decision caused the entire company to fall like a ton of
bricks. How one Director could borrow 32 billion dollars and invest it in a
failed project must be examined but some 1,400 Israelis lost their jobs and
many more throughout the world. A sad day indeed.
There
is a way to change the world, slowly but surely. It can be summed up in one
word – Education – or in three words – Tolerance in Education with the emphasis
on love. I can hear you closing your minds as I write! Tosh I hear you say or
maybe it is closer to Bah Humbug!! Well I am very proud to be involved in two
organisations which can change your minds! One is very practical, that's www.impact-se.org which, through academic
research on the curricula of our neighbouring countries, Israel and Madrassas
around the world is introducing tolerance in education through UNESCO and the
other appears more dreamy but is equally practical coming from a different
direction. David Geffen is a happy man. Why? Because he has created a
formula, already working in several countries, to teach children to love
themselves and thus to accept, even love others! The incredible thing is – it works
- using the four H's Head, Hand, Heart
and Help. I was not convinced at first but now I am and each time I meet David
I learn more. http://www.lovingclassroom.com/
. Both organisations will change Jerusalem, slowly but surely, from those amazing
examples will change the world. I was introduced to David by my dear friend
Andrew – Lord Stone of Blackheath – who has achieved enormous change
through his quiet dreams and determined planning which he carefully brings to
fruition. I will not embarrass him by outlining them now but I can promise you
that he is the epitome of Tikkun Olam. How? How have these three examples
succeeded while others fail? because they change the paradigm and do not veer
from their course despite all the naysayers. No Bah Humbug can stop their path.
I got to spend too short a time with Andrew this week – every time we are
together I feel enriched and hopeful, and filled with our mutual childhood
memories.
Talking
of people who are not distracted from their path, Joy Wolfe celebrated
her 80th birthday this week and I was thrilled, not only to be
invited to her party but to manage a whole morning having a lazy breakfast in
the glorious sunshine of Kiriat Anavim! Joy has never turned away from a
challenge and lovingly supported by her late husband Brian, she has fought for
her beloved Israel and the British Jewish community with all her heart. A warm
and loving woman, Joy is a fine example of what one can achieve, simultaneously
bringing up one's children, playing tennis, swimming and playing crazy games with
her grandchildren. I have a feeling that had she been born at a different time
Joy would have chained herself to the railings of Number 10 while making sure
every woman there was fed and happy!!!! Joy, I am so proud of you. Happy Happy
80th – let's make a date for the 120.
I
wonder what Joy would say about Jeremy Rosen's article this week. Jeremy says
that perhaps the term Zionism is defunct and overly troublesome – maybe we
should now change it to "Judaism". Personally I am inclined to agree
with him – that way the anti-Zionists can't say they are not anti-Semites!!!!
I am
filled with excitement. Next week is the Bar Mitzva of my eldest grandson Yosef
Eliyahu (Joseph Elijah). He is a truly wonderful, warm and loving child and
has promised me that even after his Bar Mitzva he will still want
Safta-cuddles!!! On Wednesday he will be called up to the Torah, his first time
as a man; in Judaism he will now be responsible for his actions and for his
people, he can no longer hide behind "he's only a child"! 13 is a
very important age – it entails moral culpability, obligation to behave
properly toward others, to become part of the community and also be a member of
a prayer quorum. Of course he will have a party but that is not the important
part. His uncles – Daniel and Gideon are coming from New York and London to be
with their little sister Rachel and stand in the synagogue as Yosefeleh is
called up to read from the Torah. He is a lucky boy – his 3 Sabas, Pinchas,
Nachshon and Zvi will all be rooting for him with his Abba Igal! Mazal Tov to
all the family, I cannot promise I won't cry! We will all spend Shabbat in
Givat Ze'ev, eating at every conceivable opportunity and celebrating!! It will
be beautiful.
Since Joseph's
story was in last week's Parasha (Torah reading) perhaps we should talk of his
wisdom. He was thrown out by his jealous brothers, taken captive, used his abilities
to curry favour with Pharaoh and his court, became a high officer of the court
during a time of famine – ensured his family was fed and……… through his deep
love for his Father and little brother Benjamin taught his brothers a lesson in
tolerance. …..yet again love wins.
Of
course, there is only one song which fits all of the above. The prophetic words
of Tim Rice echo through -Close Every Door https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w4maOLUfFk
Songs
of Chanuka are plenty
Traditional
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0gbvH_LqP4
Quirky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI01XqYnrDo
and even reggae!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HqgwB6kOEA Which takes us back to the idea that miracles
do happen! No matter what is done to us, it has been before and we are still
here!!!!
So our
family has an exciting week ahead filled with joy and dreams. Tonight we are
with our daughter-in-law Shiri's family with Zvi's boy and OUR grandchildren
(we each have our own children but our grandchildren are shared with love).
Their faces lit with the candlelight and their hopes for a beautiful future –
and it is up to us to provide them with that future, we cannot stand by and
expect others to create a better world – remember what I always tell you THE
POWER OF ONE. If each and every one of us does even one positive thing every day
we can become and army for good…………..please.
With
much love from Jerusalem as she prepares for a double candlelighting – first Chanuka
then Shabbat. May the light of a million candles bring light and enlightenment
to a world that appears to be sinking into darkness.
Shabbat
Shalom, Chanuka Sameach
Sheila
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