180309
9th
March, 2018
Shabbat
Shalom dear friends. I have no idea if you are getting this missive or not
because Gmail has been playing games with me and many of you are not receiving
my news. I have finally found someone really good to build my website, thank you
Renee, so hopefully it will all be sorted out soon.
If
there is one thing that Israel learned from the Intifada, apart from how
to defend ourselves, it is learning how to deal with trauma, for the injured,
for the by-standers and for the families. A team of Israeli psychologists went
to Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida to hold sessions with the
teachers and educators of that school in trauma management for their students. https://www.israel21c.org/israel-steps-in-to-help-teachers-after-parkland-shooting/ Such sessions take place wherever and
whenever needed. Once someone I know laughed at the idea that Israel could
possibly provide aid to Canada – well we offer aid to many countries who are
bigger and richer than us as well as to those smaller and poorer. Israel is a
tiny country with a big heart and many volunteers who are ready to go anywhere
in the world to provide succour, be it practical or emotional.
Guatemala
is not the biggest country in Latin America, indeed most Westerners have no idea where
it is at all, which is a shame because Guatemala is a brave and principled country
that is the second to pass a decision to move its Embassy to Jerusalem –
apparently Greece is next.
The
United States
has chosen a propitious day to move its staff and physical Embassy to
Jerusalem, May 14th the date that Israel declared her independence.
The Embassy will run on skeleton staff at first, in the current Consulate in
the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem, while a more logical site will be found.
It is said that the former Diplomat Hotel is under consideration.
The
first time I went to the Diplomat Hotel was in 1971 when it was still a 5 star
hotel, even if they didn't know how to soft boil an egg for baby Daniel! The hotel
later became an absorption centre when the former Soviet Union opened its doors
and let our people go. The Diplomat was also the site of the emotional ceremony
the day after Operation Solomon when we met and welcomed the beautiful,
dignified Ethiopian immigrants on the morning after their escape. I can never
forget the deep respect and love they showed toward the person behind their
Aliyah, Uri Lubrani, who passed away this week. The speed of their flight was
so great that they were told to bring only the clothes on their backs and up to
one and a half kilos of hand luggage, that's all. They stood in their white
Shabbat robes clutching the red roses we were all given as Uri Lubrani walked
in each and every one of them, in silent homage, held out their rose toward
him. I still choke up when I think of the dignity of their gratitude. Uri
Lubrani, you were a hero. May your soul rest in peace.
So
Prince William is coming to the Middle East. He will visit Jordan, Israel and
the PA, the first official visit of a British Royal. They have come privately,
both Prince Charles and Prince Philip but the Foreign Office, about as friendly
toward Israel as the US State Department, has always vetoed an official visit
because of political alliances both past and present. What fascinates me is not
the fact that Prince William is coming but who persuaded the FO to organise it?
Have they actually woken up to the reality of who their genuine allies are? This
article puts forward a fascinating perspective. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Prince-Williams-visit-may-not-be-too-late-544384 Equally fascinating is the open letter to
Prince William written by Michael Dickson, the wonderful Director of
Standwithus Israel. http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/opinion-dear-prince-william/
A wise
man once said that
Freedom
of speech does not absolve a man of responsibility for what he says.
I
believe that we, in the free world, took the freedom and forgot the
responsibility. As children we were taught that once a word has left your mouth
you cannot take it back and it can cut a person into shreds just as efficiently
as a scalpel but leave greater scars. So it is with incitement, the ripples of
the words thrown so easily onto still waters can kill and maim. Hatred, once
thought to be a two way street has become rampant, conceivably the worst
pandemic disease of our century.
Among
the rhetoric of hate from Palestinians, Farrakhan, Sharpton, Hamas, and many
more, one voice stands out above all
others, Ambassador Nikki Haley. If one reads her biography one begins to
understand why her loyalties stand so firmly with Israel. Nikki Haley comes
from a Sikh family. Her real name is Nimrata Randahawa and her parents were
born in the Punjab, India. Called Nikki since childhood she upholds the
principles of her parent's faith and is unafraid of those who would deny her a
voice. When told to "shut up" by Saeb Erekat Nikki Haley stood tall
and said that not he, not anyone, would stop her standing up for what is right.
Here she speaks at AIPAC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Di_Lh0rXx2Q
or if the full speech is more than you
wish to listen to, try this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L-YNeXvOJw
"I always knew what the capital of Israel was. I tis not created by the
position of the Embassy, America did not make Jerusalem the capital city,
President Trump simply did what American Presidents had the courage to do what
others did not"
For International Women's
Day I wrote
I am the daughter of one of the strongest and sweetest woman of all time, my Mother, Betty Glicker Silver who passed away 55 years ago, long before her time, yet managed to teach, by example, how to be a good and loved woman through WIZO, through chesed, through her elegance and humility and through the unconditional love she showed her children. She taught me that each human being is worthy, irrespective of his/her provenance - including me.
I am the daughter of one of the strongest and sweetest woman of all time, my Mother, Betty Glicker Silver who passed away 55 years ago, long before her time, yet managed to teach, by example, how to be a good and loved woman through WIZO, through chesed, through her elegance and humility and through the unconditional love she showed her children. She taught me that each human being is worthy, irrespective of his/her provenance - including me.
I am the daughter in law of Alla (Lia) Raviv Hendler,
Mother of Zvi Raviv, who during her 97 years taught an entire generation of
children how to be good people and showed me that kindness and love can teach a
child to be a mensch whereas force can never do so. She survived great sadness
with a smile and a hand held out to all in need.
I am a lucky woman. I hope they made me
who I am today. I am no less proud of the next generation and the one after
that with great confidence that the chain of strong women will change their
world.
History has taught Jews very little. What?
How can you say such a thing? Oh easily and the wonderful Brenda Katten
says it so much better than I. Jews of Europe and Israelis who choose to live
there – you are sitting on a time bomb. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/
Just in case you think nobody is helping
the Syrian civilians……….. https://www.youtube.com/
Prime Minster Netanyahu had what appears
to be excellent meetings in Washington, particularly with President Trump. The
accusations and investigations deepen but affairs of State must go on.
To take us away on a flight of fancy, Zvi
organised a fantastic two days of choirs from all over Israel and from Sweden.
It culminated in a fantastic show last night and a seminar this morning. He did
a phenomenal job as always and the theatre was full to capacity. The biggest
surprise was when the Swedish choir, almost exclusively non-Jewish, sang in
Hebrew!!!!
When is a perfect segway into this weeks
music!!!!
If there is one prayer on the lips of
everyone in Israel, it is that our children and grandchildren will not need to
serve in a Defence Force – that we will not have enemies. A dream, a prayer, a
plea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfMoeK6UVB0
International Women's Day has nothing on
Jewish tradition. Every week, on Friday night, the head of a Jewish household
is expected to praise his wife for all she does, that her worth is great than
pearls or precious gems. Imagine having the entire IDF choir around your table
when they sing Eshet Chayil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8FfonjTD9E
Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I wish you a
week of joy.
With love from the View from our Verandah
Sheila
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