200925 Kippur and Corona

 

200925

25^th September 2020

 

Shabbat Shalom! Shana Tov (A Good Year) and Hatima Tova (May you be inscribed in the good book)

 

I have an admission to make. This morning I apparently had a touch of Coronamnesia. I thought it was still Thursday! It was only when Rachel made her "good morning" call that she told me that she had already finished preparing the challah dough and it was time for me to get writing!! We live in strange times, which makes the following of our traditions even more important – to keep us on the straight and narrow.

 

http://www.theviewfrommyveranda.info/shuva-kippur-and-corona/

 

I don't want to talk about politics this week, although most of our leaders have a great deal of atoning for their egoistic mismanagement of our daily lives, in fact of our ability to live our lives, pay our bills, see our family………….What we all need, wherever we may be in this troubled world, is wise and thoughtful leadership which takes the advice of its medical and economic advisors and use their power for the good of the people they swore to serve not for their own selfish power struggles. I wonder if they will admit, let alone atone for their sins.

 

Wait a minute, I said I don't want to talk politics and then I did, but it brings me neatly to a situation most relevant to this period of contemplation. How will we spend Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement; the day in which, under normal circumstances, even the least religious Jews go to the synagogue, and we pray as a community. As we stand and recite a long litany of sins, set before us in the prayer book, many say "I never did that" or "Why should I pray to be forgiven for things I never did" but we recite the list because we pray as a people not as an individual. We pray for forgiveness and atonement for our community, our country, our people and our world. The most relevant part is when we repeat "For the sins committed unintentionally and unconsciously".

 

Fasting for 25 hours for those who are not used to doing so on all the other fast days (the fast of Gedaliah was on the day after Rosh Hashana) becomes obsessive. They don't concentrate on prayer, indeed many don't even go to the synagogue or pray at home, they simply don't eat, very aware of their rumbling tummies and the need to sleep through this day. It defeats the object of the fast, the purpose of fasting is that one is so deeply involved in prayer that the time passes without thinking of food………… Let me hand the explanation over to Rabbi Jeremy Rosen who, as my mentor, can explain the purpose of fasting in his usual erudite manner http://jeremyrosen.com/2020/09/whats-the-point-of-fasting.html

 

Personally I have no problem praying alone. Even when in a synagogue, equally for church, chapel, cathedral or mosque, I am alone with my thoughts and invocations. When I recite the sins for which I must atone, I gently chest-beat, as my parents taught me, and try to begin the metamorphosis into a better, kinder, less judgmental person.

 

This year the imposition of lone prayer after the failure of our government (and the many selfish people who think it is clever to go against the simplest of directives) to control COVID-19 there will be no synagogue services, all hues of Judaism, from Haredi through traditional and secular services, unless held in the street, with masks and honouring distance. Perhaps, just perhaps that is the best thing that could happen. When one is in the synagogue one's attention goes in all directions, silence is not a prerequisite to attending service because in Judaism the synagogue is a meeting place, a community centre first and foremost; prayer, rabbis and leading the order of service are a way to be together but do not negate the ability to pray alone.

 

We used to go to the wonderful little synagogue (shule) in Gilo, but since Zvi's parents passed away that tradition has slowly receded, the 6 kilometre walk to Gilo, through Beit Tsafafa and up the long, long hill way above the panorama of Jerusalem became harder and harder so we had to find alternatives.  For a few years we have attended services in the next neighbourhood of Ramat Sharrett, in an even tinier synagogue underneath a supermarket (!!). I especially loved that service because it was "Achid" which meant it contained elements of both Ashkenaz and Sefarad traditions, but this year, none of the above.

 

Zvi and I will stand on our verandah, our parents prayer books open before us and pray before the view, occasionally lifting our eyes to take in the wonder of modern Jerusalem. Not a mouse moves, the silence is overwhelming as each home, in its own way, offers its prayer for peace……….. if we are kinder to each other, if I am truly sorry for all the wrongs we have wronged, can I bring about a difference? Can my prayers make a difference? If we all, everyone, not only read what is written in the prayer book but really try to change can the metamorphosis be worldwide rather than just ourselves?  Can we bring about a change in how children are educated to accept those who are different? Can we fight to bring kindness toward those who don't think as we do? I know I am a dreamer but what can you expect from someone who holds Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and HaRav Kook as her heroes?

 

Tonight we light the candles for an important and particularly solemn Shabbat, Shabbat Shuva – Sabbath of Return" שבת שובה refers to the Shabbat during the Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is named after the first word of the Torah reading (Hosea 14:2-10) and literally means "Return!" Traditionally the Rabbi, or community leader, speaks of the importance of atonement, of choosing the path of righteousness.

 

Returning to lockdown is not easy. Of course we understand that it is essential to control the spread of this ghastly disease but if only people would abide by the directives in the first place we could be in a different place. The doctors, nurses and ancillary staff have done a superhuman job, the scientists battling for an effective inoculation or cure, the ambulance professionals and volunteers, the laboratory workers checking the covid-19 tests, and the police who now have to man the control points to prevent people leaving "red" areas  – Thank you! Our prayers are for you too because all of you will miss being with your families as you serve us.

 

Something beautiful happened this morning. A young patient of Daniel's in New York, his name is Joseph, was meant to hold his bar mitzvah on Succot – Tabernacles, here in Israel. Joseph had already decided that he didn't want gifts he wanted to raise money for Shalva,  In his words "As part of my campaign I was going to do some sort of physical challenge over the summer. Unfortunately, I injured my knee and could not complete the challenges I had in mind. Since I couldn’t play many of the sports I love, I spent a lot of time in the pool. I realized how enjoyable and important pool time was for me this summer and therefore my goal is to raise enough money in order to purchase 2 water trampolines and a mobile hoist for the swimming pool at Shalva. I want the children at Shalva to be able to safely enjoy the pool as much as I do." This wonderful young man, this bar mitzva boy, not only thought of his own campaign but even added a wish for people to donate to "Remembering Daniel" at Shalva to show his and his friends love for my son, their paediatrician. My heart swells every time I think of Joseph and his parents Abby and Josh.

 

 

So what music can possibly fit this solemn time?

 

The first song is for Joseph Kafthaul…… never forget to dream. This is the Shalva Band with A million Dreams. Mazal Tov Joseph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HWaldJt5Bc

 

Kol Nidre is the opening prayer of Yom Kippur, although many do not understand the weight of the words. Here Neil Diamond sings and the translation explains the deep meaning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKRRMi1Clk8

 

Finally the song that I believe should be the representative song of this beautiful nation – of Israel, indeed for all of us. Of the Honey and the Sting. Above all this………………… Al Kol Eleh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxzR9Z-kG6Q

 

If I have in any way shape or form hurt or offended you during the past year please accept my abject apology.  I would never every do so knowingly but even the best of intentions can sometimes offend. I truly care for each and every one of you.

 

The past year taught me, above all, that we must never hold back, not on love, not on friendship and never on being with those we love most. Life can take away the chance to hug and to hold in a flash. To honour my amazing, brave, brilliant, loving and exceptional son, Dr. Daniel Cammerman and his beautiful family, I am determined to be a better person.

 

A special wish for the health of Kim Taylor, Mike Manasse, Talia Barashi, Frida Albaranes, and everyone who is determined to be well again!

 

With all our love from Jerusalem, the most beautiful, precious and spiritual city in the world. I wish you a year filled with hope and fruition a year that is infinitely better than the last. May you be written in the book of kindness, the book of good deeds, the book of good health.

 

Sheila

 

 

 

 

200911 Lockdown and Atonement

 

200911

11^th of September 2020

 

Shalom dear friends. I hope you are well and ready to celebrate Shabbat and a good weekend – albeit without family gatherings but that will return.

 

Yes, we are headed for another lockdown over the High Holy Days. Starting next Friday we have stringent rules to ensure that our hospitals don't collapse under the wave of Covid infections. I'm tired of those who believe that masks and distancing are unnecessary; who babble on about dictatorship over the freedom of people to infect whomsoever they wish (people who have no idea what it means to live under a dictatorship); those who insist it is a problem of "the religious", the usual name for anyone who believes and finally the refusal of most governments to enforce the rules of engagement in this war on an enemy far more deadly than Iran.

 

Professor Ronni Gamzu has been against lockdown until now but seeing no option over the holidays he has presented the Covid Committee with as open a solution as possible. Of course it will not eradicate the disease from our land, but maybe it will prevent hundreds, or thousands of new cases which will swamp the hospitals which are in a state of near collapse because the government did not prepare for or infuse sufficient funds to sustain the influx of patients. If nothing else is learned from this pandemic it is which leaders are actually leaders and those who just want to keep their seats.

 

Zvi has an expression for the two major groups who ignore the Covid rules – "Those who believe in G-d and those who have no god" The maskless parties, full restaurants and bars, beaches and promenades, huge Hassidic weddings, the Arab weddings and celebrity weddings; street parties without any limitations and all of the above have caused people like us to fear every visit to a doctor, supermarket or even walk in the street. They, both sides of the religious divide, are the reason the system is collapsing and equally the reason that because they used their political clout to control the PM we are now in a situation which threatens the economy and our health. Interestingly enough despite fears, the demonstrations against the PM have not produced Covid positive people, probably because they tended to be very law abiding and mask wearing – trouble is they did not produce positive political results either. https://www.jpost.com/health-science/israels-govt-to-decide-high-holy-day-restrictions-today-641816

 

Diplomatically things couldn't be better! The Emirates, Kosovo, possible other links all of which are claimed by leaders while in fact they are the result of many years of hard work by the underpaid members of the Foreign Service! The fact that the PM is flying to Washington next week for the signing of the agreement with the United Arab Emirates has a bitter sweet taste when friends whose parents are dying are not allowed to come into the country.

 

Attorney General Avichai Mandelblitt was chosen for his position by Netanyahu because of his reputation as a fair and honest broker in all things legal and his long career in the Israel Defense Forces legal system, eventually serving as the Chief Military Advocate General. It fell to Mandelblitt to oversee most of the case against the Prime Minister who has consistently questioned the reliability of the police and judicial system claiming political sabotage as the reason for his indictment. His attitude toward the police and legal system have torn this country apart and delegitimised both in the eyes of the ordinary man on the street. Mandelblitt sees Netanyahu’s inability to juggle his positions as prime minister and criminal suspect as “essential incapacitation,” so similar to the words used by Netanyahu when he challenged Ehud Olmert. Olmert, however, had the moral intelligence to resign.

 

 

 

This has been a strange week personally. My family, spread all over the world, had to find a way to cope with our first major milestone since my son Daniel's tragic death. Monday was his birthday and each of us found a way to celebrate his life but accommodate our overwhelming sadness. Rachel and I went to the beach to watch the waves break on the shore, Gideon and Philip chose pensive quietude, and the New Yorkers went to Daniel's grave to allow the children to share their chocolate treats with Daddy. Each in their own way, we separated ourselves from politics and disease and thought only of a wonderful man.

 

Yesterday was a typical Israeli day. Our air conditioning has been "on the blink" for some time but since we will be moving within the next couple of months we really didn't want to buy a new one. We "managed". However the 40+ degree temperature in Jerusalem were not conducive to patient suffering and after the 2^nd bucketful of excess water we decided that the situation could not continue and through a dear friend Zvi called Mohammed, an airconditioning specialist. In the meantime I went across the road to our local minimarket to buy a few essentials, came home to put them into the fridge-freezer to find a lot of very soft ice lollies – yes, the fridge was also "on the blink"!! After racing with some still frozen fish and meat to the big freezer I called Yoel who promised to come immediately. 

 

So, here I was water leaking everywhere – from A/C and fridge – Yoel working to save our old fridge, when Rachel called and her harassed mother responded "I'm waiting for Mohammed" we giggled but then Mohammed arrived together with Zvi and he was not only a delight but incredibly efficient and solved the problem! As we sat together drinking lukewarm water on the veranda we discovered that the chances are he played with Zvi's boys when they were children – Mohammed in Juber Mukaber and Amiad and Leor in Armon Hanatsiv. In the days before the 2^nd Intifada the children used to share a playground and played together happily. Darned politics.

 

 

200904 Hamlet Honesty and Haredim

 

200904

4^th of September 2020

 

Shalom lovely people. Shalom, Shabbat Shalom, Blessings and wishes for good health.

 

Shakespeare was the journalist, the reporter of his day. Somewhat long-winded and poetic but my goodness he understood society and power. As we come closer to elections in the USA and it would appear that yet again (sigh) may be closer to yet another round of elections in Israel I look around the world at the leaders, young and old, clever and stupid, benign and cruel and chose a quote from Hamlet for you to contemplate.

One may smile and smile and be a villain. Why Hamlet? Perhaps the chosen quote should have been Something is rotten in the State of Denmark

 

I cannot begin to describe the confusion created by our Prime Minister's fear of losing his ever growing power and going to trial. He simply proves that being a brilliant orator and a seasoned politician do not a leader make.

 

We are all very good at moaning and ranting about our leaders but the truth is we, as the people, chose them. They may not have been our choice but choose them we did! That is the problem with democracy……but I wouldn't exchange it for any other form of government. When choosing, don't go for the smile or the appearance or the fine words – that's what happened in Hamlet! Those who report to the big wide world on the actions of our politicians do so from a point of interest; advertisers, editors with agendas, owners with even more difficult to swallow agendas, all have vested interests………… the truth is rarely evident, hidden by half-truths which are often worse than outright lies.

 

There was a Rabbi, a journalist and an Ex-Pat Brit. It sounds like the start of a joke but it really isn't. The three people whose words really, really reach out to me, even though there may be times I disagree with their views, their words should always be taken seriously. Why? Because when they write they write not only from the heart but from what they see and know to be fact. They are Rabbi Jeremy Rosen, Khaled Abu Toameh and Brenda Katten

 

Brenda's article in today's Jerusalem Post expressed the frustration of most of us who love this country https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/news-in-the-modern-world-the-appearance-vs-the-reality-640961

 

Professor Ronni Gamzu, just 54 years old, was at the very peak of his profession as the Director of the Sourasky Medical Centre in Tel Aviv when he answered the call to become the "Covid-Projector" the Director of Covid-19 in Israel. A fiery, astute and creative man he took on the impossible task of a system that had been scuppered at every turn by internal politics and interference by government. Yesterday, he lost his temper, took the microphone in a very public press conference and brilliantly told everyone exactly what he thought of them!

 

Israel, accustomed to gaining first place in international sport and mathematics is now number one in the Corona stakes. Admittedly there are two sectors which pollute the statistics, not necessarily through their own fault; the Haredi and Arab sectors. Both tend to live in overcrowded conditions which make isolation nigh on impossible. Don't think that secular Jews and Moslems are any better, they are simply more aware of what's happening in the world and better able to isolate. They are also willing to be tested if they are unwell. All have been guilty of holding parties and celebrations without any respect for mask/distancing.  According to Prof. Gamzu, about 28% of infection is in Arab society and 22% is among ultra-Orthodox. He revealed on Wednesday that 80% of new infections are in haredi cities.

 

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky is a major Chassidic Haredi leader, who in the past has shown a degree of understanding when he declared that child abuse should be reported under Jewish Law, but his statement 2 days ago that Yeshiva students should not be tested for Corona because then they will be in isolation with all their children and be unable to concentrate on their Torah studies caused a tsunami of condemnation, especially from those who have to run the country's Corona control.

 

The previous two paragraphs bring me to a discussion I had this morning with Rachel. We both agree that the most "obedient" group during this pandemic have been the modern orthodox "kippa sruga" Jews. They wear masks, keep distancing, offering their gardens for small wedding and bar-mitzva celebrations keeping to the limitations set by the Ministry of Health, in fact, they are really first class citizens. That is the crux of the matter. They are first class citizens, open, thinking Jews, educated in the dangers of disobeying the Ministry's Covid-19 instructions. Fascinating.

 

We knew that the return to school would be a problem and surprisingly the call for a preventative total lock-down before the High Holy Days came from Rabbi Arieh Deri of Shas. He's right. As much as we all want to be with our families, to go to the synagogue, to pray as a community, this year it is dangerous. Of course it is hard, not so much the praying by oneself, God is all around us so he is in our homes and gardens just as he is in the synagogue, but to be without our families is really hard. As a pair of "alte kackers" or to be more polite, an old couple, Zvi and I, along with all the other grandparents, have been warned to keep away from our grandchildren who've returned to school.

 

Sacha Baron Cohen is so much more than Borat. Here he talks about the dire effect of Facebook's lack of responsibility and Mark Zuckerberg's assimilated PC views. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irwVRMH04eI

 

News in short.

Qatari leaders have been in Gaza, then coming to report to Israel, attempting to stop the horror of incendiary balloons and missiles. (By the way when they stay in Gaza City I can promise you they stay is the finest hotels and mansions that CNN, BBC indeed none of the media, show).

The United Emirates peace programme is going ahead full speed. More important than diplomatic agreements were the celebrations in the synagogue in Abu Dhabi as the shofar (ram's horn) was blown to herald a new dawn.

Israeli aeroplanes, on their way to the Far East and Australia, flew over Saudi Arabian air space for the first time.

At long last Malka Leifer, known child molester, has been declared fit for extradition to Australia where she will finally face her victims and trial. How sad that "someone" paid for her years of appeals and more appeals to prevent her extradition. In Judaism it is said that we walk the straight lines of the law and honour the circles of justice. This was indeed a victory for the circles of justice.  

Impact-se has been all over the British media after revealing the Palestinian textbook study, currently being undertaken by the Georg Eckert Institute in Germany as commissioned by the EU, a ‘farce’ following revelations of mistakes contained in the review. British MP’s strongly criticized the handling of the review. Conservative parliamentarians wrote to the government calling for a further investigation into how British taxpayer money is being used to fund such a hateful curriculum. “It is unacceptable that these children will continue using textbooks that promote violence and hatred of Israel and Jews, taught by teachers paid for by the UK.”

 

MASA is a wonderful project which was established by the Jewish Agency to bring groups of young people to study or work in Israel for either 6 months or a year. It has been highly successful on every level and now it has taken on a new face – bringing people on Aliya. To our delight many young members of Zvi's Mexican family have come on MASA over the years and this year Alex Feinsod, Jessie Podolsky and Alexa Litvak are among the MASA participants who are currently in isolation, arriving on a special aeroplane together with families coming on Aliyah from Mexico. We wish them luck and learning amid the fun of being in Israel.

 

The temperature at 07:00 this morning was already 31 degrees C. Last night as I walked out onto the verandah for my nightly relaxation, enjoying the view and quietly winding down the day I quickly returned to the air conditioning – it was like walking out into hot soup!!!

 

I spent time with dear childhood friends yesterday; friends who, without a word, lifted my spirits as we talked of "Cabbages and Kings" and enjoyed wonderful food in the safety of a home, observing masks and distance yet sensing the warmth and hugs. Without the incredible support of my Zvi, my family and a few very close friends, especially Roy Salomon, I am not sure how I could have coped over the last months since Daniel's death. Losing a child is a blow from which it is almost impossible to recover but we must. Finding the strength to support Gideon and Rachel became mutual support, and of course trying to find the words to console and give reason to smile for Daniel's wife Karen and children Joshua and Callie is a challenge I can only hope to aspire to.  Knowing that "Dr. Dan's Room" in Shalva will ensure that Daniel's memory will continue giving to young people with special needs, has become of ultimate importance. We have chosen the room, are about to decide on appropriate design for the Music and Drama Therapy Room and are almost, almost at the raised target. You can still give, no matter how big or small your contribution. Just click on sponsor when you open this link. When you have sponsored on "Remembering Daniel" go to the Shalva website it is magical. https://give.shalva.org/daniel

 

We tend to think of young religiously observant Jews as somewhat morose and introspective……… think again!! Time to get Clarity https://youtu.be/vCYRM7KYJY4

 

One Day – everything will be alright. We will get the leaders who will unite us not those who tear us assunder  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqvKDCP5-xE

 

Finally a song of hope. I may have given you it before, but I love it. I love the message of this song – not just of deaf and hearing people together but people of all faiths singing about unity. That's the secret – we must unite, all of the normal, rational people of this world. Just imagine if we united and told the extremists on both sides of the political spectrum to get off their soapboxes and allow us to have a voice! YACHAD!! https://youtu.be/JIdADujEf2g

 

I wish you well and strong enough to count your blessings despite the state of our world. We send get well wishes to our amazing friend Kim Taylor who is recovering from a nasty accident. As Zvi remembered, his mother Alla always referred to Kim as the "Canadian with the kind face" and I am sure that the love that always shines out of Kim's eyes will ensure that his kind face will be healed. Just one thing, Kim, go for the George Clooney nose rather than the Tom Cruise!!!

 

So have a good Shabbes, a restful weekend and remember that you always have love coming from our veranda into your home

Sheila