200828
28th
August, 2020
Good
Shabbes everyone. I wish you a peaceful weekend. Don't forget that one thing
that the Coronavirus can't stop is our private prayers. We don't need a
community to pray, we need the will to change, the determination to maintain
our traditions despite.
Buddha
said "Three things cannot be hidden.
The sun, the moon and the truth. "
It's
been a trying week in Israel. You would think that the pandemic would have
changed our local enemies just a little bit, that they could have learned what
the Emirates have learned, that they can benefit enormously from extending the
hand of friendship rather than lobbing missiles. Threats and infiltrations in
the North from devastated Lebanon while refusing the helping hand extended by
Israel; missiles and deadly arson attacks over the border from the South and Gaza.
They care not a jot that a ceasefire, a hudna, could actually be of benefit to
their citizens because they don't care. The level of hate education both at
home and in schools is so intense that they see nothing further. It is so sad.
An
Israeli was stabbed to death by Palestinian in a terror attack this
week. The attacker, from the
PA, was immediately arrested at the scene near Petah Tikva; The victim was
identified as Rabbi Shai Ohayon aged 39. The attacker was a 46 year old father of 6, who had a
permit to work in Israel. Who knows what drove him to kill, perhaps the
financial security he was promised for his children as a prize for killing a
Jew?
Not everyone in Israeli society is pure and without evil. This last week the entire country was
horrified by the dire behaviour of 17 people who either raped or watched others
rape a 16 year old girl in Eilat. The police worked with exceptional speed and
efficiency and all 17 suspects have been arrested. The one that brought me to
tears is the foul young woman who filmed the whole sordid affair and put it on
the internet. My mind cannot cope with it and my heart is breaking for the
young woman whose life will never, ever be the same.
The
strange thing is that we, Israelis, carry on life as normal – or as normal as
possible under that shadow of the pandemic. Israelis have discovered Israel
instead of being world travellers!! The hotels and B&B's are thriving as
never before and have stood up to the necessary Health Ministry Standards with
zeal. The glorious streams, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries and wadis of the
north, indeed al the nature reserves, insist upon booking ahead so that even
though there is room for everyone, distancing can be observed and in the South
desert trekking is becoming a real attraction, not just the beaches of Eilat.
Jerusalem
hotels are
full and the main attractions of the Botanical Gardens, the Aquarium and the
Zoo are filled with children before they go back to school – a very different
school from the one they left in March, but school nonetheless. Life will be
very different but Israelis we will make the best of it. Check out the options
in https://www.funinjerusalem.com/events/
Talking
of schools,
a fascinating fact has emerged – the top results in schools approaching
matriculation are in the modern orthodox and Druze sectors. Both sectors
achieved 100% eligibility to take the exams. To attain eligibility for
matriculation one has to reach a certain standard, just turning up for school
doesn't guarantee entry at all! What is fascinating to me is that these two
sectors are those who strive to attain excellence in their IDF service too.
It's a fascinating read as the statistics reveal more than who learns what.
A very
interesting situation has emerged in the Health Ministry since the appointment
of Professor Ronni Gamzo as the "Coronavirus Czar"! Gamzo is
nobody's lacky, he speaks clearly, openly and demands standards of governmental
intervention whenever and wherever needed. In the recent lack of leadership
concerning the annual pilgrimage to the grave of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov for
Rosh Hashana, he spoke to the Ukrainian President and asked them to ban the
arrival of foreigners and mass gatherings in Uman during that period. Why?
Because the Israel leadership, caved to pressure from the religious parties and
decided to allow some 20,000 followers of the Breslauer Hassidim to travel to
the Ukraine, to Uman, and Gamzo saw the disaster of their return to crowded
conditions and inability to isolate. He turned a Catch 22 situation into a
simple response. If you want to read more about the Professor's opinion of
politicians https://www.jpost.com/health-science/gamzu-to-post-coronavirus-plagued-by-illogical-decision-making-640036
General
Benny Gantz
entered the viper's nest of politics and somehow retained his dignity, which is
Israeli politics many viewed as weakness, his humility as lack of power, but
the brilliance of his tactics, of his unprecedented honesty is showing now. As
President Roosevelt said "Sp[eak softly and carry a big stick" https://www.jpost.com/israel-
Many
American Universities
(and sports institutions) receive huge funding from Qatar, monies that would be
far better spent on taking hate out of their own curriculum. Qatar is proud of
its academic levels but Impact-se has found major, nay glaring intolerance in
their teaching. Jihad is praised,
Christians are described as Infidels and Jew/Israel hatred is predominant with
constant anti-Semitic tropes. https://www.impact-se.org/reports/qatar/
About
1,500 years ago
someone decided to bury his personal treasure so that nobody would find it,
obviously intending to come back later, retrieve the treasure and buy himself a
nice farm! Well last week a group of young volunteers, working on an archaeological
dig in their year before IDF service, saw something glittering in the sun and
found 450 gold coins in an earthenware jar! Read all about it! https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/285768
California
is suffering yet another bout of horrific fires and Storm Laura has left
destruction behind her over several states in the USA. By the way, why do
storms and hurricanes always have women's names? I can't decide if it's a
compliment to our strength or an insult, alluding to our ability to destroy.
Actually, this week Britain was hit by Storm Francis bringing horrific floods
with it – but Francis is the male spelling of Frances so maybe……. Never mind.
Isn't
it strange
how the coronavirus has taught us to greet and meet outdoors? We have learned
that touching elbows means a hug and smiling with one's eyes is more honest
than smiling with one's mouth – hidden behind a mask.
A
whole generation of children will be afraid of touching, of hugging, of
kissing, probably only one of the results of this pandemic. Next week Israeli children
will return to school. They have to add new words to their lexicon – capsules,
distancing, masks, Alcogel, all of which confuse their ability to connect. The
hugs of their first day back at school are no longer allowed and they haven't
been playing with their buddies during the extended vacation……….they have so
many new hurdles to jump.
This
week's Torah reading
Ki Teitzei deals with 76 of the 613 laws
of Judaism. Coincidentally it also deals with the punishment for rape. For me
the most fascinating of all the laws outlined tells us that we are not allowed
to turn in an escaped slave.. https://www.chabad.org/parshah/article_cdo/aid/2286/jewish/Ki-Teitzei-in-a-Nutshell.htm
Time
for some happy news!!!
The veranda is blooming despite the searingly hot weather! Next week, in fact
starting tomorrow, we are in for a heatwave so I will have to take special care
of each and every plant. Perhaps the heat will ripen the sweet peppers I grew
from seed and the oranges, still very green but growing beautifully will attain
a hint of the bright orange that will tell us they are ready for picking. Sometimes
I feel that the hibiscus is finding it hard to breathe, waiting for the
afternoon shade while the bright crimson geraniums just keep blooming! Here in
Israel they are called the "flowers of the garbage heap" because they
grow anywhere!!
We saw
Zvi's grandchildren last Shabbat and had a wonderful visit with Nattie and
Yolli Zonszein then on Wednesday I bumped into our friend Mika in the
supermarket (hard to identify with masks) and on the spur of the moment she and
her husband Aharon came to sit on our verandah. I love spontaneous visits most
of all – no preparation just whatever is in the fridge! The season of soft
fruits is here, our fruits and vegetables are locally grown, straight from the
fields and orchards, so we never get fed up of the plastic imported fruits. The
nectarines and peaches are filled with that sharp/sweet flavour of nature and
the watermelons, aah the watermelons, bright red seedless and refreshing are
the fruit of the moment, conceivably the most Israeli of fruits………. Perfect with
white cheese, either cottage or sharp Bulgarian cheese or flavourful feta – all
locally produced. We sit in our verandah for the balmy Jerusalem evenings,
enjoying the breeze, talking about our world and our day, enjoying icy cold
watermelon while overlooking the view over Jerusalem.
Enough,
time for music!!
The
Central Choir of Melbourne, Australia recorded a Hebrew version of Leonard Cohen's
Halleluya – beautiful https://youtu.be/lQ-zUGL9X7s
My thanks to my "shvester" Andrea Koven for sending it to me
Just in
case you are feeling down, with a sense that this isolation will never end,
here's one to perk you up! From Carousel "You'll Never Walk Alone"
by a virtual choir from 15 countries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gpoJNv5dlQ
Shalom
Aleichem,
the song that welcomes Shabbat in a million homes before the blessings over
wine and bread and sitting down to a Friday night meal. White tablecloths,
sparkling glassware, the best china and gleaming cutlery dress tables groaning
with the festive meal, each country of our dispersion may produce different
foods but the basis is the same, just the inherited traditions are different.
Shalom Aleichem, Peace upon you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=913jZFL1bdE
Peace,
such a short word with such deep meaning. Paz, Pax, Pais, Shalom, Salaam….each
word accompanied by a sigh, a lament and a prayer.
With
much love and prayers for your health, your ability to cope with the impossible
situation we find ourselves in and a plea to family far apart – call each
other, Facetime or WhatsApp – make sure your children know and learn to love
the faces of their older relatives, as if they were right next to them. Zvi and
I are lucky with 9 of our 14 grandchildren close by but my heart yearns for
Sammy, Oliva, Zachary, Joshua and Callie, just to hug them and remind them how
much I love them.
Virtual
hugs and much love from Jerusalem whose beauty awaits you
Sheila
