210226
26th
February 2021
Shabbat
Shalom and Purim Sameach. I hope this missive finds you well.
Purim,
so many traditions which depend upon the land of the dispersion, taking on the
flavours of wheresoever your family found safe haven – or not. I was fascinated
to see an invitation to a Purim event by the Jewish community of the Gulf, yes
the Arabian Gulf. Last night the keynote
speaker was His Excellency Dr Khalid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Chairman of the
Board of Trustees of the King Hamad Center for Peaceful Coexistence. Megilla
reading by Rabbi Dr Ellie Abadie.
Wonderful news of unexpected friendships. Impact-se discovered that the
Emerati school syllabus already contained a class in Moral Education…an example
we should follow.
The
story of Purim
goes far beyond hamantaschen (Triangular cookies representing Haman's hat or
ears) and noisy greggers (noisemakers) to drown out Haman's name when reading
the story of Esther. It is a story of a brilliant plot which included much
feasting and bribery, a plot created by Esther's Uncle Mordechai (the real hero
of the piece) and carried out by Esther. It is the story of how gullible a
leader can be when he spends too much time in revelry and relinquishes power to
his Grand Vizier who convinces him to kill an entire people. Of course "the
people" refers to the Jews of Shushan, the Jews, the ever convenient
scape-goat – a situation repeating itself today. We need a Mordechai to lead us
out of the mire of the current rampant anti-Semitism whose claws reach far
beyond the borders of Shushan and reach a town near you.
Israel
is suffering
the terrible results of an enormous oil spill along her shoreline. Whales and
turtles alike are being washed up along the beaches and fishing is banned due
to the tar and oil that make the fish inedible, a tragic situation. How? When?
Who? The greatest tragedy is that it appears to be intentional. https://www.timesofisrael.com/tarred-and-shuttered-anatomy-of-the-oil-disaster-thats-closed-israels-beaches/
Saturday Night Live show’s co-head writer and presenter Michael Che's remark “Israel is reporting that they vaccinated half of their
population, and I’m going to guess it’s the Jewish half.” horrified me. That a presenter on a major television programme feels free to
make such a clearly racist remark is a sad reflection on American society. If
allowed to pass without demanding a retraction American Jewry will suffer
repercussions or have to deny their connection with Israel. Che is so misinformed
that he doesn't know that we gave thousands of vaccines to the PA and 100,000 Palestinians
who cross into Israel each and every day to work, received the vaccine at the
border.
This heartwarming story shows the true relationship
between Israelis of all faiths. Maher Ibrahim ensured that an
Orthodox Covid patient heard the Shema Yisrael prayer as he lay on his deathbed
"I knew it was important, we have
one God" The patient's daughter
said: "This is where peace begins" The family did not manage to say
goodbye to him and pray for him before his death. Medic Maher Ibrahim knew what
must be done and without knowing the exact words he prayed for the patient in
his final moments. In an interview he said: "We wanted to do something, it
was the obvious thing, we have one God. I don't know all the prayers but I knew
how important it was for him to even hear the words 'Shema Yisrael', I realised
that the family was stuck in traffic and could not get there before he passed
away. We knew he was a religious man, having bonded with him for a month, and
we knew the family wanted to come for the prayer. We said it for them so that he
would it would be the last thing he heard. I told his daughter when she
arrived, it was important to me that she knew. Our mission is to be human
before we take care, regardless of race, religion and gender."
Sport is supposed to be apolitical but rarely is! Saeid Mollaei, a 2018 judo world champion, fled Iran for Germany
after Iranian authorities put pressure on him to drop out of the 2019 world
championships in Tokyo to avoid a potential final round against Israeli
contender Sagi Muki.
Saeid just won a silver medal in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam world judo
championship, thrilled that he is now free to challenge whoever he wishes!!
Another piece of sports
news –If the COVID pandemic in Europe is still serious enough in
May and June of this year that athletic events will have to be held without
spectators, there is a possibility that the UEFA Euro2021, as well as key games
in the Champions League and European League, might be held in Israel, president
of the Israel Football Association Oren Hasson announced Sunday. What a turn around!
So how are you
celebrating Purim? The government has
put a "Seger Lila" a night closure restriction for last night,
tonight and tomorrow night, in other words banning parties. Tel Aviv and Rishon
le Zion decided that it didn't suit their lifestyle and have been holding huge
parties, raves etc, without masks or green passes to prove they have been inoculated.
It infuriates me because for them Purim is an excuse for a party, knowing nothing
of the incredible story of Purim. On the other hand, the traditional
"Tisch" (feast filled with Torah study and dancing) of the Haredi
communities will be almost impossible to halt – proving Zvi's theory that the
defiant actions against the Covid restrictions are "those who have no God
and those who only have God"
It was so much fun to
see children, finally able to go
to school, dressed up in fancy dress for Purim. From tiny pre-schoolers to 18
year olds, they take their costumes very seriously. These days there are fewer
Queen Esthers and more characters from Frozen but all want to be heroes and
heroines! My favourite is the "Covid" microbe – a child inside a huge
balloon with disposable cups around it! I love the home-made costumes not the
shop bought ones – that's a cop-out! Incredibly one of the favourite Haredi costumes
is a soldier in the IDF and a favourite secular costume is a Haredi man! Even
newsreaders wear funny wigs!
One very important
tradition is that of
"Mishloach Manot" a tradition which began by giving food to the poor
but today involves sending little baskets (or great big ones) containing sweet
foods. Again I love the home-made rather than the bought ones! Another tradition
is that one should imbibe until one cannot tell the difference between evil
Haman and heroic Mordechai. The purpose? So that one doesn't hold grudges, doesn't
develop hatred for ones enemies but rather that one finds forgiveness for
everyone. Out of this tradition came the "Adloyada" celebration,
parade and street parties. Adloyada – Ad Lo Yada – until he didn't know.
Zvi's fall made the
Jerusalem Post!! We couldn't believe it but Greer Fay Cashman thought it an
event worth reporting on! He is healing at an incredible rate, his bruises
fading fast, his arm hurting less and he has already had three of the eight
stitches removed, the remainder on Sunday. He still looks like he went 3 rounds
with Evander Holyfield but basically back to his normal self.
Yesterday we went to
see the progress (or not) in our new apartment. The trees are planted in the
public gardens, in fact the public areas (within the project) are coming along
beautifully. Perhaps the best part of this move is not the beautiful apartment
and new beginnings (even at 75 one can have new beginnings) but rather the
amazing cooperation between all future neighbours. We have 4 or 5 WhatsApp
groups to help each other solve problems, to pass on names of good electricians
or plumbers etc. and when we met up with the project manager for the builder,
once he got over Zvi's wounds, he and Zvi swapped jokes in Yiddisch. This move
feels right. Of all the 17 moves I had until I met Zvi, only 4 since we met,
this one makes me happy. Our building only has 5 apartments and all the neighbours
are open to good neighborliness, even friendship. I will not run out of a cup
of sugar this time.
So what next? Tonight,
since we live in Jerusalem, it will be a normal Shabbat candle lighting and a
normal Torah reading – everywhere else in the world last night and today the
Story of Esther is read and festival feasts prepared, the reading in the
synagogues tomorrow will be from the Book of Esther. In Jerusalem, indeed in
walled Jewish cities, Purim is celebrated on Sunday, Shushan Purim. Shushan was
the walled city where Esther, Mordechai, Achasuerus, Haman (boooooo) and most
of the Jews lived. Jerusalem, still special in every way.
So what music should I
choose this week?
The Maccabeats tell
the story of Purim in Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgJInVvJSZg
The Shalva Band sings
about raising your eyes to the sky, of course the two lead singers are blind
but still they lift their eyes to absorb the warmth of the sun. We have so much
to learn from them https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-NIHBHb9DU
Uziah Zadok was only
12 when he pulled at the heartstrings of everyone who heard him sing. Here he
sings "Shma Yisrael" with English subtitles. Truly magnificent and so
appropriate as we live in surreal and distressing times of uncertainty. The
words give us strength and his voice lifts our heart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aHtBoQ8jpY
I wish you a Shabbat
Shalom and please, read the story of Purim, Megillat Esther is available in
whatever language you are comfortable with. The message is so strong and sadly appropriate
for our times. Queen Vashti's refusal to dance naked before the King's drunken guests
was an incredibly brave act of feminism and our heroine Esther used her
feminine wiles to change history and ensure that Haman received his own cruel
medicine.
Don't worry, even
though the view from our veranda will change, this view, the whole of Jerusalem
before us in its beauty, the sunrises over the horizon inspiring me to optimism
and our walks, exploring our surroundings, will continue………. Just a different
panorama but my emotions stay the same.
With much love
Sheila
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