210129 Government, Green and Gevalt

 

210129

29^th January 2021

 

Shabbat Shalom! How are you? Did you know that I'm green?

 

No, don't worry, it's not some obscure new virus, being green in Israel means that the Ministry of Health has issued a "Green Passport" for you. That means you have had both vaccinations and a week to ten days later they issue a certificate, you get it automatically on-line and print it, carry it with you and you can go to the cinema, theatre, anywhere you fancy! Sounds wonderful doesn't it? Trouble is nothing is open, there's nowhere to go and the government, or rather the "Corona Cabinet" has decided to convene in another week instead of yesterday. In the meantime the government is earning nicely from all the fines related to gatherings and shops opening. We are stuck at home, no schools, no stores, no museums and no parks….

 

It is a strange combination of successful vaccination (soon half of the population will have received the first vaccine and one third the second) and utter management chaos on the situation. Why? It's all politics. Politics kept the skies open. Politics initiated flights to and from Dubai which culminated in an infection rate of 2.9 persons per traveller upon return which is insane; politics kept the police back from entering certain areas so their infection rate went through the roof; politics has allowed schisms in society that have never been before; worst of all it was infection by example as those in power fought to stay in power rather than worry for the daily bread of their constituents. Yes I know, no worse, or better than anywhere else but at least we have the vaccines. In the Pfizer research based here in Israel it was found that the Pfizer vaccine is 92% effective. In other words keep your masks on but see the grandchildren!!!!

 

I'm waiting for grown-ups to inhabit the "House that James built", the House that Dorothy, Madame Dorothy de Rothschild, declared as the culmination of her husband's father's dream for the State of Israel. When Ossip Klawein's design won the competition to build the new Knesset building atop a hill in Jerusalem, the chosen ones understood the miracle that was a Jewish State. That government, led by David Ben Gurion, understood that they were there to serve the people. Perhaps Dorothy, recognised what the future held and decided to donate and oversee the building of the new Supreme Court Building, a magnificent structure, her only demand being that it sit higher than the Knesset, to indicate that the government is never above the law. The resultant building is a triumph of architecture worthy of the onerous task of the Judges within https://supreme.court.gov.il/sites/en/VirtualTour/Pages/00_vtour.aspx

 

We are a resilient people, we have survived many attempts to wipe us out through the ages, by every means possible and we will survive this too, but why? Why can't the grown-ups act responsibly?

 

If you were to read this, which sector of society would you immediately accuse?

"They smashed the windshields of the train and the windows of the station with rocks and threw sticky paint on the train car, they then poured concrete on the tracks filling the rails, depriving the wheels of the train purchase on the tracks, causing the cars to come off the rails, and either capsize, thereby endangering the lives of hundreds of people trapped in the cars, or to careen out of control and collide with passengers waiting at the station, endangering their lives too." Terrorism yes, but not the Palestinians, it was the ultra-extreme faction of the Haredi community. They besmirch the name of the Haredi community as do their cohorts in Bnei Brak who threw rocks at the police and burned a bus, beating up the driver. Why? Because the government demands that their schools (Kolels, Yeshivas, Talmud Torahs) close for the time that the rest of us are in closure. Their leaders say that if the children are not learning every day they drop out of religion – surely two weeks of not learning cannot shake one's faith in Judaism. It makes me so angry because antipathy to their actions turns young people away from the religion I love.

 

Just as we need a responsible grown-up to lead the country as a whole, we need responsible grown-ups to lead the Jewish religious community – in fact, all the religious communities, to understand that we are all equal but different.

 

The World Corruption Index. Seriously disturbing! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index

 

A round up of news.

Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales is Patron of the British Holocaust Memorial Day Trust and as such he gave a very moving speech https://youtu.be/7wDZca3dgHY As I am sure you are aware, his grandmother Princess Alice of Greece, Prince Philip's Mother, was a Righteous Gentile.

The Canadian Government is the latest in a line of countries to launch an investigation into their funding of UNWRA after the www.impact-se.org report on hate education in their schoolbooks was launched.

Still on the subject of Impact-se, The Australian Government is also investigating UNWRA's misuse of funds. https://www.spectator.com.au/2020/12/palestinian-kids-in-un-run-schools-are-being-taught-to-hate-and-kill/ Even the New York Times wrote about the Impact-se report on the Saudi curriculum!

President Biden intends halting the sale of F35 war planes to the Emirates. The fear is that the other, less stable governments in the region will demand the same.

On a less serious note, "IZZY – Stream Israel" https://www.streamisrael.tv is an internet channel for Israeli programmes and so much more. Thanks to Martin Lindenfeld!

 

Due to the pandemic I haven't been able to visit Shalva and move forward with the "Dr. Dan's Room" project that so many of you helped to bring to fruition. The room is already in use but without the design, instruments, equipment and stage that turn an empty room into a true Music and Therapy Room in that oh so incredible haven for children and parents alike. The amazing "Shalva Band" came out of the love and teaching of the staff. Yesterday Gaby Hirsch and I had a wonderful and very important Zoom meeting, with the incredible Nitzan, the musical director of Shalva, a dedicated and enthusiastic young man who described exactly what is needed to bring joy to the children and young people with special needs and their connection to music. I promise that very soon, with or without pandemic, we will begin creating a room that my beautiful son would have loved. https://give.shalva.org/daniel   

 

 

Zvi and I try to walk each day, obviously masked and distanced, but within the rules of no more than one kilometre from home we manage to explore! A permitted trip to the dentist, doctor or supermarket is a great excuse to leave the circular track that is our street and walk along the railway tracks, either at the beginning in Baka or at the end toward the Biblical Zoo. Since it has been raining, the wild and wonderful Deer Park is out of the question! It feels so good to be out in the fresh, crisp air of Jerusalem.

 

So that brings us nicely to the music that you all love

 

Aki Avni is an Israeli actor and singer. For Holocaust Memorial Day he recorded this beautiful song, from poems written by 3 children in the camps. Miroslav Kosek, Hanus Lowy and Eli Bachner, now aged 90 and living in Israel, who created a book of the poems to honour his friends and the one and a half million Jewish children who were brutally killed by the Third Reich https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFxexvipMO0&feature=youtu.be

 

The songs of Shabbat are not always traditional and they travel through the many countries of the dispersion. Shalom Aleichem (May peace be upon you) which is sung to welcome Shabbat is sung in a hundred different variations. I fell in love with this one! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pll0QNbdfkE

 

Finally, this song is dedicated to a very special Bat-Mitzva girl. Mimi Selig is the daughter of Daniella and Justin Selig who live in London. Justin's more familiar identity is "Paddy", my Daniel's best friend. Paddy and Daniella light two extra candles, bright and colourful candles each Friday night, known as Daniel's candles and when I asked them what Mimi wanted for her birthday they answered, "a donation to Shalva". Mimi, we all love you and wish you a fun Zoom Bat-Mitzva. The song? One Day by Koolulam. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqvKDCP5-xE

 

So that's it! If I don't go now my Challot will have risen over the tops of their tins!

 

I wish you a wonderful weekend wherever you are, however you pray. Can you just put in an extra prayer for Canon Andrew White who had a relapse of his MS and then caught Covid. As I have always said, prayer is not a matter of whether you say it on knees, bending down, crouching or standing, prayer is in your heart. With love to you all, my friends.

 

Shabbat Shalom from rainy, beautiful Jerusalem

 

With love

Sheila

 

For the brave among you here is a quiz of 72 questions for the 72^nd anniversary of the Knesset! https://main.knesset.gov.il/en/About/Pages/birthday/Quiz.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

 

210115 TWTWTW

 

210115

15^th January 2021

 

Hello! How are you? I wish you a good Shabbes, a blessed Sabbath, Shabbat Shalom!

 

I am in such a good mood after my birthday that I decided I didn't want to write about the troubles of our world today, and we most certainly have troubles! What a confused lot we are! The plague that has overcome the world has brought out the very best in people, but also the very worst. Since the media concentrates of the worst I decided to concentrate on the best.

 

The world is talking about Israel's ability to vaccinate so many people in a very short space of time and want to know how. In last week's newletter Dr. Joel Zonszein explained the efficiency of the "Kupot Holim" the Health Funds, but there is so much more to it than the brilliant work of the professionals. It's also Israel's young people, the volunteers. When one arrives at the many vaccination centres, one presents the "invitation" which was sent to you and then the magic begins. So many volunteers and young "Sherut Leumi" (a year of voluntary community service for young people before the army, including young religious women) take the non-medical jobs of registration, of entering the time, date, name, ID number of the patient and the vial number of the vaccine as they get the inoculation, all which makes the whole affair run very smoothly. The Covid testing process is even more so. For instance, yesterday morning, Rachel went for a Covid test. She arrived at the site and young Magen David Adom volunteers, dressed and masked appropriately, guided the drivers to the actual test site where nurses and trained volunteers performed the tests which were then taken by more volunteers and put into the appropriate vials. By the evening Rachel had her very welcome negative result. It's the first time that a negative result of a test was a positive result!!! If one doesn't drive, call a taxi, specifically ask for a driver who has already had Covid to take you to the test site. If you are housebound then Magen David Adom come to the home, take the test and deliver it to the lab. All of the above is feasible thanks to the combination of ID numbers, volunteers and the amazing medical system here.

 

Since this is the third closure people are less careful and more fractious, as one would expect, fed up of being home stuck in small apartment with small children, but the Mayor of Givat Ze'ev found a solution. Imagine, a compendium of toys, games and magazines arriving on your doorstep as a gift from the municipality! Such a clever way to amuse the children!

 

Two days ago Zvi and I went to the supermarket after he had his second vaccination; we always choose relatively quiet times, and as I was perusing the vegetables I heard "Excuse me can you put your mask on" and a delightful elderly gentleman looked very distressed, he had simply forgotten to put it on and his mask was still in the car. "Here take my spare" I said "As long as you don't mind wearing a pink one" All 3 of us laughed and he went off proudly sporting his pink mask. On my way home I popped into the pharmacy to collect a prescription and as I stood waiting, well distanced, a rather burly, aggressive looking, young man came in with his mask unopened, barely covering his mouth. Tentatively I asked him to open his mask and cover his nose as well. His surly face broke into a big smile "Of course I will, I'm so sorry I forgot" The stupidity of "wearing a mask takes away my right of choice and self expression" is a rarity here. I'm not saying everyone is sweetness and light, we have our self-absorbed rebels too, you only have to see our numbers to know that, but in general, I believe that Covid has brought out the best in most people.

 

I had a highly successful Impact-se Annual Board Zoom meeting, our CEO Marcus reporting incredible successes in winning through a wall of the West's ostrich-like habit of hiding from the truth that children are not born hating, they are taught to hate as part of the brainwashing by nefarious regimes. Impact-se is making incredible headway in bringing tolerance in education in cooperation with many governments in the Middle East as I told you last week. www.impact-se.org  We discussed the latest, revealing, reports on UNWRA. I feel that I am the luckiest person in the world to have been chosen as the Chairperson.

 

As I sat in front of the computer screen I heard the front door "ping" to tell me someone had gone out, so I assumed Zvi had gone on his regular 3-4 kilometre walk. I then heard him return home and……. But wait, that's part of the next story

 

I have to tell you about my birthday yesterday, thanks to Zvi and a multitude of good people I had the best birthday ever! The entire day proved that despite being stuck at home surrounded by four walls and Netflix, one can have a truly amazing time! Like all things Jewish it all started the night before……..about half an hour after the meeting ended and I left the seclusion of our office to find that Zvi had not gone for a walk – he had gone to collect my favourite sushi and set the table beautifully and poured me a glass of delicious wine! I must admit that it made watching the news later much more palatable. And then……….next morning

 

08:00 and someone knocked at the front door! It was the delivery of glorious "Breakfast Box" filled with freshly cooked, Israeli breakfast goodies. All sorts of savoury spreads in little glass jars, croissants, bagels, salads, freshly squeezed orange juice, borekas and wonderful shakshuka. I was overwhelmed! Who could have thought of this gift? Upon opening the accompanying card I discovered that it was Zvi's two sons. Leor and Amiad and their families! So thoughtful especially since nobody could visit! As we were wading our way through the huge breakfast which actually lasted until supper (!) the doorbell rang again and a delightful platter of fruit, cut into flowers, arrived from the wonderful people of Shalva. Next came lovely flowers from Impact and a huge bouquet from Gideon and Stephanie and children. That was when I heard from Rachel that she couldn't come with the family to do me a big balloon and singing presentation down in our car park! Wait, that's not all! Gili, aged just 11, got together with Rachel and gathered greetings from our siblings, children and grandchildren and close, close friends and made me a video! All of the above were complemented with non-stop phone calls from all over the world! As I left one phone call I heard voices coming from the study and went to investigate only to find that Zvi, with a little help from the children had organised an international Zoom party!! It was wonderful to see all my loved ones on one screen

 

I have to admit that the high spot was in the family video when 7 year old Callie did a crablike contortion in the middle of Central Park and sang "Happy Birthday" upside down!

 

I am so overflowing with love from every direction that I can't stop smiling! I discovered that ultimately one reaps what one sows in life and my goodness, without all the bells and whistles of a big party, my cup runneth over!

 

I was determined not to lose the warmth of yesterday – although I am not blind to the horrors surrounding us, which seem to grow daily. While our politicians do their very best to drag us down, I just wanted to show you that good things happen, every single day, we just have to recognise them.

 

Tell me about the little kindnesses that you have experienced lately. You choose, big or small, a smile or a cake, holding the door open for you or………. You choose

 

Time for songs before I go to cook Friday night supper and get the Challot into the oven so that they will be hot and crispy for supper.

 

Why did Nancy Pelosi quote and Israeli song by Ehud Manor, yesterday and not for the first time? Ein Li Eretz Aheret – I have no other country. Here sung by Ninet Tayeb the plaintive music does the meaningful music justice. Since the subtitles are in Spanish I put a link to the English translation too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzwdYSdrwtY
http://hebrewsongs.com/song-einlieretzacheret.htm

  

 

Shalva sent me something much more than the lovely fruit platter, they sent me a video, a song, a statement of hope. Here is a new recording of the Shalva Band singing "All You Need is Love" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvhhae73wnk  

 

Finally, what else? Louis Armstrong singing "Wonderful World" because when you come down to it, that's what we have. This period has taught us that we can survive without many of the accoutrements of Western life – we don't need fancy restaurants, our children have learned to amuse themselves and understand the joy of having parents who help them with their Zoom lessons and homework, we go for walks, do our morning exercise instead of sitting at desks and enjoy the simpler side of life. C'mon, sing along with Louis, you'll fell so much better https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikiUL9nNab0

 

I wish you a truly beautiful weekend. As I stand before our Shabbat table, the best china, the aromas of that special Shabbat meal and freshly baked bread, to light the candles which bring light to our lives, light and sweet memories that can only be achieved by doing as our parents did and their parents before them, I will think of you and how blessed I am to have you in my life.

 

Shabbat Shalom dear friends

Shabbat Shalom

 

210108 Good news, Bad news

210108

8th January 2021

 

Shabbat Shalom to you all

 

I have been trying and trying to think of a way to open this letter after the horrific mass lunacy in Washington.  I remember being stunned by the riots after Donald Trump won the elections 4 years ago https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-inauguration-protests-idUSKBN1540J7   but those riots were tame in comparison. Extremism, that is opinions that reach the outside acceptable thought of both right and left, have become the order of the day and when those thoughts are not controlled the average citizen is forgotten in the fury that spills over. One thought kept running through my head over the last couple of months. As child I, like most Brits, was taught, "It isn't if you win or lose, it's how you play the game" or "Don't be a bad loser always congratulate the winner" "That behaviour isn't cricket" Simple good manners in everyday life, accepting losing "the game" are a part of life and clearly essential in a leader.

 

Israel has now vaccinated nearly 20% of the population with the first Pfizer vaccination, as opposed to Britain and the USA who are nearly 2% of the population

 

Our friend Dr Joel Zonszein, former Head of Endocrinology at Albert Einstein Hospital and recent Oleh Hadash with his wife Nattie, wrote this excellent summation of why Israel has succeeded so brilliantly in vaccinating the population, and I would add a few words. Israel has universal health care rather than socialized healthcare and it was the early Zionists who created the healthcare system in 1911 long before any other country even thought of it.

 

"The success of mass vaccination in Israel, it is because it is a small country and because of its socialized medicine.

The health fund Clalit (the general fund that serves ½ of the population), was created during the Ottoman rule.

It had doctors and nurses in communities, so that patients would not have to travel by cart for hours (and be killed), before they received medical care.

The farmers, teachers and clerks, organized a second fund in the 1930s, different from Katznelson’s socialist worldview; the network became Leumit (the national fund)

In 1941, a group of athletes broke away from the labor union and they created their own fund Maccabi, named for the sports-based youth movement and a nod to the Maccabees of Jewish history. It provided care mostly in the big cities and is the second-largest kupa in Israel with 2.3 million members, including Nattie and I.

Meuhedet, the third-largest HMO was founded in 1974 through the merger of two veteran HMOs, Amamit -founded by Hadassah in1931 for the Farmers' Union to provide services to settlements (the pre-State of Israel "Yishuv") and Merkazit, founded in 1935 by the General Zionist Workers', to provide medical care to independent employees, and freelance professionals.

 

Healthcare in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory.

All Israelis are entitled to health care. Everyone in Israel gets affordable or gratis medical care. https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/SJtkaOg0D ”

 

Now for a "Good news, bad news" session

 

Obviously we must begin with the very bad news of the utter abuse of the freedom afforded by the democratic process in the United States. I believe that demonstrating and expressing one's human rights is a wonderful thing, irrespective of views, but violence, destruction storming the Capitol is beyond the pale.

 

Bad news, but expected is the closure imposed upon Israel and the UK, thanks to those who do not understand that their behaviour kills. Good news, Israel's Health Funds have done a brilliant job and the PM thought ahead and ordered millions of doses of vaccine

Bad news is that the UK Covid variant arrived in Israel with travellers, the good news is that the Pfizer vaccine covers it.

Bad news, the supply of Pfizer vaccine finished before many of the essential workers, teachers and chronically ill have been vaccinated; good news, there's lots more on its way!

Better news, Pfizer chose to send millions of vaccines to Israel in exchange for the research we have performed on the effects of the vaccine.

Good news, the Oxford University vaccine is now in production and is infinitely cheaper than the commercial vaccines, giving poorer countries availability.

The good news is that the Israeli medical care is phenomenal and available for all; the bad news is that the medical staff are exhausted, their numbers depleted by those either sick or in isolation, working to their very limits without the usual help from the patients families. This is a disease which forced scared patients to cope alone and lonely.

Bad news, there are still idiots who refuse to wear masks, refuse the vaccine and refuse to limit their activities, the good news is………..but even here there is good news because more and more people are socially aware and go for Covid tests.

 

The good news here is that the weather has been absolutely glorious and we have taken beautiful walks in the Deer Park, the Railroad Boardwalk and Valley of the Cross; the bad news is that the weather is glorious, temperatures of up to 20 degrees C, sunshine and we can't go further than 1,000 metres from home!

 

I don't want to break the flow of words by talking politics. It is said that we get the leader we deserve, but I'm not sure that is true of many Western countries at the moment. However, if we are in a "Good news, bad news" mood, we should really be grateful for our freedom. Too many countries are so corrupt that they become either demagogues or cruel dictators. We may have created demi-gods but luckily we also have the power to change.

 

The Torah Reading this week is Shemot, or names. It tells the tale of the thriving Jewish community in Egypt who do so well the Pharaoh decides to imprison most and orders the Jewish midwives to kill all the male Jewish babies. We all know the story of Yocheved who hides her baby boy in the bulrushes and he's found by Pharaoh's daughter and grows up to be a great leader who after seeing an Egyptian soldier beat a Jew understands the cruelty of the leadership and leads the Jewish people to freedom and the Promised Land. OK, I know that's the short version that everyone knows, but the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks saw the ancient portion in a very different light, bringing the clear moral story up to date. Here he writes but as I read his words I could almost hear his beautiful dulcet tones in every wise word. https://rabbisacks.org/shemot-5774-women-leaders/  Thanks to my friend Rosa Romanowsky for sending it to me.

 

Two days ago we went to see the progress on our new apartment and meet the project manager. While there we discovered that several friends are also moving there and then we joined the WhatsApp group of new neighbours and discovered that there is a wonderful advice there – buying white goods as a group, telling each other about good carpenters, ari conditioning experts, plumbers etc, and of course Zvi discovered that he knows the parents of half of them! We found a sense of community that is heartwarming and rare. Unlike most places that one lives we already have a community. I can already imagine meeting friends for a chat on one of the many benches along the walking path after our morning constitutional! Next to the entrance door of our building is a reasonably sized garden plot, as yet without purpose. Zvi suddenly came up with the idea of a communal herb garden! The project manager loved the idea, said he would create whatever we want…… I was so excited, that I volunteered immediately and already designed it with raised beds of all the herbs any cook could desire! Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme are just a beginning!

 

Last night, before the midnight closure, Zvi turned to me and said "Go now to see Rachel, Igal and the children because it may be as much as 3 weeks until you see them again" I suddenly realised that I will have no need for the frozen pizzas that they love much more than my home-made food, not for a while, so I jumped in the car and set off, but not through Samuel's Tomb, I went through the highway which is much faster but not nearly as interesting! I didn't tell them I was coming so when I knocked on the door I was greeted with "Safta's here", and delighted faces and many "Covid hugs". Actually I don't need to worry because they have been really careful and of course not been to school. The funniest was to see Talia's face when she found out that I had brought a frozen roll of her favourite cookies! I make the dough and freeze it in a roll ready to cut into discs and bake for unexpected guests who no longer come. Wonderful mixed sweet spice flavour and raisin cookies she goes crazy for! I think Ayala was upset I didn't bring her favourite veggie "ktsitsot" or patties, but my arrival was a spur of the moment decision!

 

Looking out from our verandah this morning was quite eerie, quieter than even a regular Shabbat. The roads are almost empty, so my eyes were drawn to other things. The beautiful trees of Keren Kayemet creating a triangle of green on the right; cyclists and walkers along the path which follows the Ottoman railway line; walkers up and down the street beneath ours……… suddenly the hustle and bustle of everyday life has been forcibly halted.

 

I loved the song "Katan Aleinu" which has no direct translation but means It's Easy from my first hearing and I think I even gave it to you a couple of weeks ago. My friend Elizabeth Gelb sent me this recording with English subtitles!! Love it. https://youtu.be/58AjdhGSaTU

 

On March 12th, 2019, Koolulam came together with Link20 movement of the Ruderman Family Foundation at Menorah Stadium. 8,000 people sang ‘Shiro Shel Shafshaf’ with Stephane Legar to promote a message of accessibility and equality between people with and without disabilities. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZitrjOnyTzE

 

Before Covid Mahane Yehuda Shouk (the Jewish market) was a meeting place for young and old before Shabbat. Here is a taste of those days, we are all impatient for their return https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHg2qu38jlE

 

Please, please take care, you are very special to me even if we have never met. I wish you a good weekend, wish you a fruitful future very soon and good leadership which will teach tolerance

 

Shabbat Shalom with love from Jerusalem

Sheila

 

 

  

 

 

  

010121 Out with the old in with the new

 

010121

1^st January 2021

 

Shabbat Shalom lovely friends. Shabbat Shalom as the world is looking just a little brighter every day.

 

The first day of the first month of the new Gregorian year. Phew! 2020 is behind us.

This Irish New Year blessing sums up what I wish for you

 

"May your pockets be heavy and your heart be light,

May good luck pursue you each morning and night.

May you always be strong in your journey.

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want."

 

This past year was challenging at best, frightening at worst, but in so many cases it brought out the best in us, the fighting spirit that kept our heads above water.

 

A medical catastrophe brought out the very best in medical science when it was discovered that an existing vaccine could be adapted to inoculate against a horrific new strain of virus that emanated from Hunan Province in China -Covid-19. Laboratories all over the world worked at full pace and the results were nothing short of miraculous!

 

There are always silent heroes in these battles. Here a husband talks about his wife who worked together with the CEO of Pfizer, Albert Bourla, a Jew from Thessaloniki whose family was taken to Auschwitz and who swore that if the opportunity ever presented itself to give thanks for the fact that his father survived the Holocaust he would take it.

 

"Benita Alkon Baitner (to be honest, my wife), the director of the Vaccination Unit of the global Pfizer company in Israel, succeeded in performing this job with modesty, discretion, seriousness and courtesy, connecting, mediating and promoting both sides, with her dual loyalty. Because, on the one hand Benita is the Pfizer representative in Israel and on the other hand she is an Israeli citizen who wanted the vaccine to arrive in Israel as soon as possible ... She did all this while completing two periods of quarantine and with her daughter with verified Corona in the next room"

 

Israel has now inoculated 10% of its population. Enormous thanks must go out to our Health Funds. They managed to get organised in record time and utilize the Pfizer vaccines that the government had bought in the most efficient manner.

 

The Middle East is heading toward a very different, kinder face as accords, treaties and agreements are signed with Moslem countries. It began with the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, a true agreement, one of two friendly countries. The Abraham Accords were quickly followed by Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and even Saudi Arabia is reaching out to us. The incredible "behind the scenes" workers of the Foreign Ministries involved, not just the leaders, deserve accolades, they too are silent heroes.

 

The greatest upside and, by the same token, downside of the closures is that many parents, if they are working, are working from home, spending real time with their children who are home learning. Of course there is a serious downside, many families have fallen into poverty and in countries that do not have socialized medicine they cannot afford medication, let alone housing.

 

Here in Israel the very best in people has come to the fore with neighbours, municipalities  and even Facebook groups organising food for the sick and elderly who could not leave their homes and ensuring that nobody goes without.

 

Ask Israelis what they miss most they would almost inevitably say "a flight to anywhere" in their top 5. Israelis have an inbuilt wanderlust and guided tours to understand far flung places are number one. A side effect of the Abraham Accords was the rush of some 50,000 Israelis who travelled to the Dubai, and some brought back Covid! More importantly Emeratis who came to Israel were amazed to find everyone so friendly, helpful and the freedom of prayer excited them.

 

Political change is on the cards here in Israel. The demonstrations were echoed within the Knesset as dissatisfaction with the determined braggadocio of Prime Minister Netanyahu and as a result we head to the fourth elections in less than 3 years. Israel does not have a Presidency like the United States, although our titular President Reuven Rivlin has been the voice of reason during this period, coaxing Members of Knesset to reach an agreement and prevent yet another highly costly round of elections.

 

Our athletes have been winning Gold Medals all over the world! European Golds in Windsurfing, Gymnastics both individual and team, Judo………. And more!

 

What have Zvi and I been doing during the past year? We have been preparing for our eventual move to the new apartment although it is hard to know where to start! We have walls and floors and even the bare-bones of the kitchen is in place, we met many of our future neighbours, but the move is still on the distant horizon! Maybe for Passover

 

We are both very involved in community and national organisations. We successfully raised the funds for an apt memorial for my Daniel in "Dr. Dan's Room" giving voice not only to the children who cannot speak for themselves but to a joyous and beautiful organisation "Shalva". The moment we can go to Shalva after this closure, we will give a full report.

 

Zvi became Chairman of the Board of the Jerusalem Teacher's Training College and a Member of the Board of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and I became Chairman of the Board of Impact-se. Impact has had some exceptional successes this year, both in the totally revised school curriculum for East Jerusalem and cooperation with the UAE education authorities on their excellent new curriculum which leads the way in Moslem countries. 2021 promises to open many doors to teaching children tolerance instead of hate. It is a team effort but Marcus Sheff leads the way and Nir Boms does everything behind the scenes!

 

I got a new hip which has changed my life! Nearly every day Zvi and I go for a walk of at least 2 kilometres. Sometimes we walk through the park opposite, nodding to neighbours although it's difficult to recognise them with their masks; sometimes we go to the "Park haMessilah" a beautiful 7 kilometre walk from the neighbourhood of Baka along the old Ottoman tracks all the way to the Biblical Zoo, I do about 3 kilometres! Another favourite of mine is the Deer Park, just down the road. It is such a delightful, utterly unspoiled green lung of Jerusalem and I love the feel of the countryside and if we are lucky we see a tell-tale scut in the near distance indicating that a herd of deer is coming out to feed. Zvi is convinced they hide from us since deer are shy creatures indeed.

 

We have spent as much time as the rules allow with our Israeli grandchildren who discovered that a small birthday party with just close family members can be just as exciting as a fancy big affair. Ayala's Bat Mitzva was a prime example of just parents, siblings and grandparents attending and sticking to the rules. Rachel made each party exciting by providing her amazing pinatas. @lalapinatas on Instagram  

 

You all know that this year has been a year of tears as our entire family tries to come to terms with the loss of Daniel, my beautiful eldest son. We all turned our eyes toward Karen, Joshua and Callie in New York who faced their loss and Covid with true fortitude and bravery. If only we could all be together but Covid dictated that we be on 3 continents. We must look toward our future, to do his memory justice by living life to the full as he did.

 

What do I wish for the coming year? If I gave myself 10 wishes what would they be?

1.     I wish for leaders who care for us more than their comfortable and elevated seat

2.     I wish for tolerance, tolerance for the beliefs of others, be it religious or political, tolerance which goes both ways

3.     I wish for honest, civilised debate rather than contentious verbal altercations from our leaders and our television pundits.

4.     I wish for the return of good old fashioned manners. The fact that someone opens a door for me doesn't demean me it elevates me!

5.     If only we accepted each other's manner of prayer as valid, as equal.

6.     I wish I was more computer literate than our 6 year old grand-daughter Ella!

7.     I wish that all my family, siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews would come and visit us here rather than us going there!

8.     I wish I knew what to do with all the books and paintings we have when we move to our new home!

9.     I wish that young people understood that a lifetime's experience means that you have so much to give

10.  I wish that you would all write back to me so that I know I am not whistling in the wind! Really, I'd love to hear from you. I feel that you are my friends and care about you.

 

Finally, we must ring in the new with song, but which songs?

 

For the first part, herewith two full concerts and a message from Zvi

"As you may know, I have always been interested in music, so I was happy when a year ago I was asked to be a member of the Board of Management of the famed Jerusalem Academy of Music.

As its 2021 greetings for the New Year, the Academy sent its friends a student concert that I thought you would enjoy!

So, let us all hope that 2021, will be the light that awaits us after the darkness of 2020

May we all see our loved ones in person, instead of through Zoom, and may we all be happy and HEALTHY!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqwpTk7olcg&feature=youtu.be

 

There is just one song which sums up all our prayers for a kinder world – One Love, sung by a Koolulam gathering of Jews, Moslems and Christians in the Tower of David https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZzK29_V8jQ

 

Don't Worry be Happy was hardly the expression of 2020 but hey… this is 2021, we are allowed to be happy!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWXUWepSak4

 

I wish you a Shabbat Shalom, a time to begin looking forward not back, a time for hope of a better, healthier, kinder year.

 

I send you love from Jerusalem, from both of us thinking of all of you.

Sheila