190927
27th
September 2019 – 27th Ellul, 5779
Shabbat
Shalom to one and all. I hope you are well and that the sun is shining on your
day.
I'm
going to write one short paragraph – very short – about Israeli politics and
then we move on to that most meaningful of festivals, Rosh Hashana, the Head of
the Year.
There
is an Israeli expression "Shalosh pa'amim glida" which means that if
something happens for a third time you get ice-cream – I can only tell you that
if we go for third elections an entire country will scream! The local media all
use the same word for the situation "a plonter" which is Yiddish for
a problematic conundrum. At the moment neither side has a clear majority for a
coalition, a party needs to garner 61 seats in the Knesset to achieve a
majority, slim as that may be. There are two main centre parties, Blue and White
and Likud, who should, if logical thought entered the political arena, simply
join forces and form a centrist bloc. Aaah, but this is both politics and the
Middle East so logic doesn't enter the fray. Actually I understand the logic of
Blue and White, they say that they are more than prepared to join Likud for a
National Unity Government which would give a large enough majority to be
stable, but not under a Prime Minister who is fighting legal battles, very
serious legal battles. Likud is not willing to relinquish, even temporarily,
Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, thus causing a stalemate. There are two other
players of influence, President Ruvi Rivlin and Avigdor Liberman - but that's a story for another day. Perhaps we
should all add an additional sentence to the Prayer for the State of Israel
which we will sing in the Synagogue next week, that the powers that be change
our electoral system!!!
On
Wednesday,
Zvi had a delightful meeting in the hallowed halls of the King David Hotel with
old friends. Samuel Yekutieli and Rabbi and Mrs Pynhas Brener,
the new Venezuelan Ambassador to Israel. Juan Guaido, the recognised Leader
of the General Assembly in Caracas, thus President of Venezuela, decided to go
over the head of Maduro and re-establish diplomatic relations with Israel and
chose Rabbi Brener as his Ambassador. https://www.timesofisrael.com/venezuelan-opposition-leader-appoints-rabbi-as-envoy-to-israel/
After
their meeting Zvi took them to meet the Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion.
We didn't vote for Moshe but he has already proven, during his first year of
office, that he is fulfilling the position with honour and has put right many
wrongs of the past. They spoke of the fact that Moshe Lion often listens to the
disc that Zvi's choir (Hakol Yachassi) made in honour of Shmuel Benalal, our
dear friend killed in Mali, who came from Venezuela. The high point of the meeting
between Rabbi Brener and Moshe Lion came when Rabbi Brener expressed a wish to
bring the Venezuelan Embassy to Jerusalem.
Last
Shabbat we had an amazing visitor, a special friend who has been away in
South Africa for nearly 3 years as an emissary for Habonim Dror and the Jewish
Agency. When Danny Adeno-Abebe first told us that he was going to South
Africa we were worried as to how he would be accepted because Danny, a highly
respected journalist, was born in Ethiopia. His story has everything to do with
Rosh Hashana so –
Danny,
his wife and three (now 4) beautiful children decided that they would make a
difference for the Jewish community in South Africa so Danny made contact with
the leaders in Soweto, who were fascinated to see someone of colour
representing Israel. What started as a tiny project of a few children became a
weekly visit by 150 youngsters from the Jewish community who reached out and
taught Soweto children (and their mothers) to read, write, mathematics etc
while learning co-existence themselves. One day Danny noticed the village
library, a disorganized mess of books in a building without a roof. Apparently
the government wouldn't part with the money for a roof. Danny, with the
children, organised the books into library order but two days later a teeming
rain storm reduced the entire library to a sodden mess.
Danny
spoke to their leaders and approached our Ambassador in Pretoria, Lior Keinan who
allocated the funding through MASHAV https://mfa.gov.il/MFA/mashav/AboutMASHAV/Pages/default.aspx
, the roof was
built and then Danny demanded 10 books from each child who attended Habonim or
community events. Although Danny is back home the project continues. The story
has everything to do with our ability to do better, to improve our world and to
change our perceptions. Danny went back to Africa and has shown the Jewish
community a new way to give of themselves, not only by donating money. http://www.adenoabebe.com/
In
Judaism, the last month of Selichot has been a time of changing perceptions, of
remembering, forgiving and improving, learning that before you judge people,
give them the benefit of the doubt. This little story epitomises our
psychological re-booting for the coming year. Thank you to my "schvester"
Andrea Koven for sending it to me.
“A
little boy was holding two apples one in each hand. His Mummy came in and
softly asked the child "Can I have one of your two apples"? The boy
looked at his Mummy, paused and took a quick bite from each apple. The Mother
was very upset but tried not to show her disappointment. The little boy then
gave her one of the bitten apples and said "Mummy, here you are. This is
the sweeter one.”
Often
in life we are too quick to jump to conclusions about other people’s motives
without taking the time to understand the reasons. Sadly we are often the very
hardest on those who are the closest to us. If we would just delay judgement,
if we gave them the benefit of the doubt, we would save ourselves and them
tremendous angst.
Remember
to give people the chance to explain themselves before you jump to conclusions.
At some point you’re going to want them to do the same for you.
I
learn something new every time I read Rabbi Jeremy Rosen's weekly blog. In
fact I have been learning from the Rosen family since the age of four when I
first went to play at their grandparent's home in Cardiff and promptly dropped,
and lost, Jeremy's favourite white mouse in the greenhouse! Jeremy wrote "The occasion that we now call Rosh Hashana, is
referred to in the Bible only as Zihron Teruah – the Day of
Remembering with Sound. One is bound
to ask: “remembering what? And what does the sound of the Shofar have to do
with it?” Read on to find out http://jeremyrosen.com/2019/09/remember.html
Moses'
travels with the Children of Israel began on the 1st day of Ellul
and ended on the 10th day of Tishrei, Yom Kippur. Ellul is a month
of repenting our past sins (including the refusal of our people to accept the
words that Moses brought to them, the Golden Calf etc) and our current sins,
culminating in the cleansing of our souls on Yom Kippur. We pray a lot, but the
big question is whether it matters that one has a new hat, suit, outfit or does
it lie in the quality of one's prayers. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav
expressed it beautifully: “Every word of your prayer is like a rose which you
pick from its bush. You continue until you have formed a bouquet of blessings,
until you have plaited a wreath of glory for the Lord.” The next
two weeks are a time of renewal, meditation, mindfulness and acceptance of the
other.
Traditionally
this is a time to open one's heart and one's pockets. The Yuri Shtern
Holistic Center for Cancer Patients and their Families is an exceptional
organisation which brings succour and relief to thousands of families every
year at the Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem and the tiny humble clinic in
Jerusalem. I beg of you to watch (again) my interview about the organisation
and its founder, the wonderful Lena Shtern https://youtu.be/ylDMRCHpOmM.
If you
understand Hebrew then this https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Ask
your community to give a portion of your appeal - it would be a huge mitzvah. https://www.israelgives.org/amuta/580475085
It's
55 years since 18 year old Zvi Raviv was accepted to the Juilliard School of
Music to study voice but chose to return to Israel to join the IDF and the rest
is history, a rich history. Well, yesterday Zvi went for an audition at the
highly respected Jerusalem Music Academy and was not only accepted but came
home thrilled because the Musical Director said his voice is so good that she
wants him for operatic roles! Of course his response to the Director's praise
was "I wish my Mother could be here to kvell" I have a feeling that
his parents were very proud of him anyway, as are all of us.
My
prayer, my invocation for the 5,780th year of the Jewish Calendar
lies in education. Education in tolerance which comes from home, school and
leaders. Obviously I am talking about the entire world but let's start at home,
within Judaism. If we don't learn to accept the other, to celebrate our
differences then we are lost. More than anything else, for the sake of Israel,
I want ALL our children to study the 3 R's, to learn about history, geography,
economics and become useful, contributing members of society. Then we can begin
to talk the same language – the language of tolerance.
Yaakov
Shwekey
expresses our love for the boys and girls who watch over us, over Israel. Mi
Sheberach, a blessing for the soldiers of the IDF. Mi Sheberach avotaeinu – He who
blessed our forefathers, bless the soldiers of Israel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suKZK8O_x2s
The
late President Shimon Peres, a man of deep thought and love of his
people, felt that one song, one prayer epitomised the Jewish desire to
overcome. Avinu Malkeinu – Our Father Our King, sung by David D'Or at
Peres Funeral just 3 years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7IMU40EjLc
Finally
something entirely different! You get to see Jerusalem, Mahane Yehuda and the
sheer joy of being here in a Rosh Hashana song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBTfGXw69HY
So
let's forget feuds and anger and embrace a new outlook. Go and hug a person you
thought you didn't like and be amazed at the way it changes your life and
theirs!!
Shana
Tova, Un Ano Dulce, 美好的一年, une douce année, сладкий
год, um ano doce, blwyddyn bêr, سنة حلوة, ein süßes Jahr, אַ זיס יאָר…… a sweet and generous year to all of you.
Next
year in Jerusalem the Beautiful - בשנה הבאה בירושלים
היפה
With
all our love from the amazing view from our veranda – may it be a view of love not
war.
Sheila
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