190802
Friday, 2nd
of August 2019
Shabbat Shalom
everyone! I hope you are well. Zvi is home and had a wonderful time with his
choir in Macedonia. They sang, visited the Capital city Podgorica, where the Chabad
Rabbi organised a concert in a local stadium with a Montenegran group and Hakol
Yachassi sang. They saw fabulous countryside and went to the Jewish Museum in
Dubrovnik before flying home. Gosh it's good to have him home!
Zvi and I were
deeply saddened this week to hear of the passing of Jaime Liwerant z"l
husband of Zvi's cousin Sylvia and brother of Danny, Zvi's close friend. Jaime,
born in Mexico, lived most of his years in San Diego but never left the Mexican
community behind. Our love and hearts go out to Sylvia, Danny and Jehudit. May
they be consoled among the mourners of Zion.
Bernie Sanders, the
ultimate self-hating Jew, compared Israel to the Nazis in Shoah. I cannot begin
to express my anger and disgust that a Jew could speak in that manner. The use
of the Shoah to make comparisons by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar and
their ilk is truly a disgrace beyond words. https://mondoweiss.net/2019/
And
so to Britain! Apparently if you don't
like the guy that wins elections or selections the first thing is to claim he's
a “Racist” or a buffoon. One reader even claimed that the fall in the pound
sterling was caused by Boris Johnson two days after he became Prime Minister of
the UK. Let's tackle the racist claim first in his Ministerial appointments.
Sajid
Javid - son of Pakistani Muslims - Chancellor of the Exchequer (Honeymooned in
Israel!)
Priti Patel - daughter of Ugandan-Indians - Home Secretary (who was forced to leave May's government because she met with Israeli official and wanted UK aid to Israel)
Dominic Raab - son of a Czech Jewish refugee - Foreign Minister
Priti Patel - daughter of Ugandan-Indians - Home Secretary (who was forced to leave May's government because she met with Israeli official and wanted UK aid to Israel)
Dominic Raab - son of a Czech Jewish refugee - Foreign Minister
Minister Without Portfolio, James Cleverly -
mother from Sierra Leone
Minister of State for Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarteng - parents from Ghana
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Nadhim Zahawi - born in Baghdad to Kurdish parents
Minister of State for the Commonwealth and United Nations, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - parents immigrated from the Punjab, Pakistan
Secretary of State for International Development, Alok Sharma - born in Agra, India
Minister of State for Business and Energy, Kwasi Kwarteng - parents from Ghana
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Nadhim Zahawi - born in Baghdad to Kurdish parents
Minister of State for the Commonwealth and United Nations, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - parents immigrated from the Punjab, Pakistan
Secretary of State for International Development, Alok Sharma - born in Agra, India
As to
the economy, the instability caused by the indecision of Brexit caused a huge
flux.
If
we are already into politics, why not enter the curious world of Israeli
politics? Indeed, if I may quote Alice in Wonderland "curiouser and curiouser". Left joins right; the far right refuses to
join the very far right; centre parties admit willingness to unite with anyone
except each other and Netanyahu; parties split then join other parties – it is
insane! They have to get their acts and their lists, to say nothing of their
names, together within the next couple of days.
In a disgraceful
incident in a hotel in Cyrpus 12 Israeli young men were cleared of rape
charges against a very disturbed British woman. They were not charged with a
crime but that doesn't make them heroes, it makes them immoral. Their brains were
in their pants and even though the woman framed them and her friends beat them
up they were wrong on every level. The level of debate in Israel is intense and
the celebration of their return to Israel simply proves that their parent's
moral code is off kilter.
The Israeli Cabinet, came to a
unanimous decision to issue 715 permits for houses to be built in Arab
neighbourhoods in Area C which is under Israeli rule according to international
law. Of course the PA claimed that Israel does not have the right to make that
decision yet they happily accept Israeli health care, municipal services
and social services.
In another instance
of the infinite idiocy of the Palestinian Authority, Israel has plans to
build a 16 Department, 46,000 square foot hospital near Kerem Shalom for the
use of Gazan residents to alleviate the terrible health care situation in the
Strip. It was agreed by Hamas, under the auspices of the UN, Qatar and Egypt
and the Palestinian Authority Minister of Health, Mai Kaila, announced at a meeting
with UN officials that they don't want it because they claim it is an Israeli
attempt to separate between Gaza and the PA!!
Switzerland and the
Netherlands
withheld funding to UNWRA after reports of child abuse and corruption in that
organisation. In case you wondered who is giving what to whom, here is the list
of countries, contributions and payments. I was amazed to realise that Britain
sends almost as much as the USA to support UNWRA https://www.unrwa.org/sites/default/files/pledges_of_government_and_eu_overall_ranking.pdf
Ashley
Perry had an idea; he turned an idea into a dream and
the dream into reality. Ashley is one of
the lucky ones, his family was able to trace its heritage from the Expulsion
from Spain, to Holland and then the UK. The dream was Reconectar. Ashley
realised that throughout the Spanish speaking world there were many people who
had Jewish heritage, were not Jews, many were devout Catholics but knew that
somewhere in their past the tragedy of the Inquisition and Expulsion had spread
to vast numbers of people. The aim of Reconectar is not to convert, nor to
impose, Reconectar simply honours ones heritage
and that of millions of the children of the forced conversions from 1391.
Yesterday
was Jabotinsky Day!
Many forget the impact of the man and only remember the streets named after him!
Well here is your opportunity to learn more about the man and the poet behind
the movement to create modern Israel and the IDF. http://en.jabotinsky.org/zeev-jabotinsky/biography/
Probably the Israeli leader that followed Jabostinsky most closely in his
principles was Menachem Begin. He never made excuses for being an Israeli or a
Jew. In speaking to Senator Joe Biden, in June 1982,
when Biden threatened to cut off US aid to Israel “I am not a Jew with trembling knees. I am a
proud Jew with 3,700 years of civilized history. Nobody came to our aid when we
were dying in the gas chambers and ovens. Nobody came to our aid when we were
striving to create our country. We paid for it. We fought for it. We died for
it. We will stand by our principles. We will defend them. And, when necessary,
we will die for them again, with or without your aid.”
Jennifer Lopez is an international
star of film and stage who can choose where she holds her 50th
birthday party – she chose to hold it right here in Israel and brought her
family with her! She arrived two days before, flying El Al, and stayed at the
Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv, really Jen from the Block!!
Jon Bon Jovi performed last week
and as he got onto the stage he said “This one
is for the incredible people of Israel – for their strength, for their love –
this one is for them,” Just when we feel that the world is against us wonderful
artistes come and remind us that it isn't so.
Israeli
street food is amazing! Anyone who thinks it is just falafel has
tasted the incredible array of possibilities. Nothing wrong with falafel, but
try Sabich, Shwarma, Shakshuka green and red, Humous with just about every
feasible topping, Burekas filled with mushrooms, spinach and Bulgarian cheese,
potato, and anything that takes the fancy of the baker, pita filled with
chopped salad, humous, tehina and aubergine salad, khatchpuri – gosh I could go
on forever but it makes me unbearably hungry! The best part of Israeli fast
food as opposed to Western fast food is that it has resulted in one of the
healthiest populations in the world!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLC9oAaGJbo
Zvi did my shopping
for me so that there will be plenty of food for all the Ravivs that are coming
for a brunchy breakfast tomorrow. They won't let me cook so we will eat lots of
Israeli salads that they will bring and use disposable everything. I just miss
them all because I'm still spending a lot of time at home and thanks to Rachel's
care am doing much better and on the right track. Now he's gone to his parliament
in a coffee shop in Kibbutz Kiriat Anavim. I wonder what they will discuss. Unquestionably
the latest call by Blue and White leader Benny Gantz for a unity government.
Hope they come up with a solution!!
The weather has been
revoltingly hot, not as bad as London or Paris but hot. Last night a breeze
broke the still stickiness and I walked outside to see the twinkling lights of
Jerusalem before me and the scents of jasmine and kumquat blossom. This morning
I was relieved to wake up to that same breeze and wandered outside to be met
with very different aromas of barbeques!! Admittedly I won't be cooking today,
rather relying on my former efforts, and I have a feeling we may just eat out
on the veranda – in Israel one can sing Kiddush as loud as one wishes out in
the garden or veranda without concern!
No JLo songs nor Bon
Jovi, but rather something both different and familiar different for your delectation
Tradition!!! Chaim
Topol as Tevye the Milkman. Make it full screen!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw
Next a song that
rings true for many of us as our children grow. Arik Einstein and "Oof
Gozal" which I dedicate to Zvi and to our children as their children grow
up too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez1e2VPsRFw
How can I leave you
with Koolulam? Together, everyone together toward the light! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZitrjOnyTzE
Next week I hope I
will have lots to tell you about! I really want to get out and visit all my
favourite places in Jerusalem then I can take you with me! Now I can see that
the shopping mall is emptying, the streets are less crowded and the aromas of
120 cooking traditions are rising into the clear air of Jerusalem. It will soon
be Shabbat. I must lay the table in preparation for the bride of Shabbat, her
white tablecloth and candles which bring their glow of peace. Shabbat shalom
dear friends, Shabbat Shalom.
With all our love
No comments:
Post a Comment