Kippur, Tabernacles and Diplomacy

Friday the 22nd of September, 2023 27th day of the month of Tishrei, 5784 Shabbat Shalom, Shana Tova (a Good Year) and G’mar Hatima Tova (a wish that you should be written in the good book) It is almost Yom Kippur, the culmination of the period of repentance, of atonement, for all our collective sins. There’s no automatic forgiveness, one has to accept responsibility and pledge to follow a better path. When I lived in Reading, Berkshire, I used to teach cheder (Sunday school) and each year would explain to the children that there is just one sin for which one cannot ask forgiveness from the Almighty but rather from the person that one has hurt. It’s a fascinating aspect of forgiveness because that one sin is when one has publicly shamed another. In a world where expressing one’s opinions is considered more important than caring for the feelings of another the idea of facing anyone we may have hurt, or even harmed, is of ultimate importance. Even more incredible is that one must ask forgiveness thrice and then if they refuse to accept the sin reverts to them. So clever and an important lesson. The last years, turmoil has reigned, a situation exacerbated by Covid and isolation, political turmoil in particular which filters down into our very lives with occasional rays of light. So, let’s take a quick look at the last week centered in New York City and a quick trip to Florida. Prime Minister Netanyahu, accompanied by Sara Netanyahu, met with several leaders most of them political and one business leader. Elon Musk is a very clever man but has a tendency toward megalomania, admittedly he earned it, but he also misuses his power. There was a great deal of discussion here as to whether this meeting was essential and I was distressed that the Israeli Prime Minister had to travel to Musk rather than the other way around. In fact I believe it was a very clever move on the part of the PM due to the Israeli leadership in the AI field. Zelensky? Vlodomir Zelensky rose to power and was almost immediately faced with the Russian Giant invading Ukraine. I have deep sympathy with the Ukrainian people but I feel he is using his Jewish heritage to blackmail Israel into doing something we cannot afford to do, anger the Russian Bear. Russia sits in Syria, right on our northern border, and with one swipe of its’ paw can change the military balance. Putin is a vengeful enemy, with a very long memory. President Biden met with Netanyahu, greeting him with warmth and a clear declaration of his love for Israel. As you know, I have never doubted it. The two met both before the public eye and in camera, able to discuss the truly important issues. Unquestionably the issue of the Palestinians and Saudi Arabia were raised, but fear not, the American President is fully aware of the complications. The important negotiations with Saudi Arabia brought a demand from Biden to take the undoubtedly toxic elements in the Israeli government out, to allow closer ties and calm the situation. Despite a public outcry, I must congratulate the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, for his brave decision to silently disrupt the speech of Ebrehim Raisi of Iran with a poster of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian women’s rights leader who was killed after being arrested by the infamous morality police. Erdan was roughly removed from the plenum but not arrested. Iran was ironically chosen to lead the Human Rights Council Social Forum, surely a decision which in itself is an insult to human rights and morality. As you know, Zvi and I have demonstrated against the draconian changes in the laws of the current government. The demonstrations have been, in almost every case, well organised and orderly, a true expression of democracy. However, I am ambivalent about some aspects, in fact many aspects of the demonstrations held in the USA. I was very disturbed by the insulting poster of Netanyahu on Alcatraz; the sign on the UN building and the highly vociferous demonstrations in NYC at the hotel and the UN. Before anyone claims that it is the remains of my diaspora attitude, no it isn’t. It is about showing support for Israel and opposition to the government reforms in equal proportions rather than rowdy anti-Bibi washing of our dirty laundry to the delight of our opponents. I understand those who demonstrate but find it hard to accept. This week in Israel we remember the fallen in the Yom Kippur War, the trauma of incompetent leadership and lost friends as all the surrounding countries waged war on an unprepared Israel. We learn that our leaders were warned of impending war by both King Hussein and Sadat’s son-in-law but nobody listened. The feet of clay are exposed and we mourn our innocence. Perhaps innocence was an element in the signing of the Oslo Accords 30 years ago, or was it innocence, naivete or were we duped? We were all excited at the prospect of an end to terror and constant threats, but the papers signed were unclear, partial and Yitzchak Rabin didn’t want to sign, indeed in the celebratory “meeting” he told President Clinton that he would sign on condition that he would not have to shake hands with Yasser Arafat, but even on that level he was forced to comply. Incidentally there were violent demonstrations by the right wingers in Europe and the USA after the signing of what they called a treacherous act. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s enough about our crazy mixed up world and its relationship with Israel. I think it’s time to talk about what’s going on in Israel! Despite the threats from the Iranian proxies in our region, we Israelis just get on with life and in direct opposition to most of our neighbours it really is a very good life! This is such a vibrant society that despite both internal and external strife, we love life! The buying of wooden sections and laths began immediately after Rosh Hashana although the palm fronds for the “schach” or roof covering, will wait until after Yom Kippur. What am I talking about? The building of the Tabernacles, the Succot. The temporary structures suddenly appear on balconies, verandas, roofs and pavements all set up and ready to entertain friends and for the braver, to sleep in as a reminder of our ancestors wandering in the desert. Each country has its additional traditions – for instance in Britain we always had fruit hanging from the lattice roof of the Succah whereas in Israel any fruit would rot within hours so most succahs have what can only be described as Christmas decorations! The street fairs of decorations, Lulav (palm leaves, myrtle and willow) and the venerable etrog or citron. The choosing of the citron is a very serious matter, ensuring that the stem is intact and the fruit pure. They come in all sizes and are either very knobbly or smooth, but the effort put into choosing is of ultimate importance. The combination of all of the above create a very special aroma, scent which pervades the entire area. This isn’t only a Jewish period. We share our faith with Christians as the Tabernacles celebrations begin and Evangelical Christians come in their thousands for the parade and huge gathering arranged by the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. A period of great joy and gratitude. In the meantime, life continues as usual, classes, singing, cousins from Mexico and meeting friends. The Mexican cousins have been a joy, their thirst for learning is so refreshing, they have toured and left no stone unturned, ending up with us on Wednesday evening at a bustling restaurant on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem called HaMotzi, which is part of the blessing we say on bread. The restaurant was fun, noisy as hundreds of diners enjoyed their very Jerusalem food, accompanied by pitas freshly baked in the Tamboon, that fiery rounded oven. We sat and as we ate, we spoke about everything they had seen from the Golan Heights to the Galilee and the enormous difference between hedonist Tel Aviv and spiritual, historic Jerusalem. Sandra, Moi and Jonathan are rare tourists who absorb the country and its delights and troubles. Moi has only been to Israel twice, once about 10 years ago and now, and he was fascinated by everything he saw, understanding the bitter sweet of our past but impressed by the determination to enjoy life to the full. Ater eating our fill we walked up the road to Mahane Yehuda Market. After the “bastot” the market stands, are closed, the shutters come down to reveal the graffiti of famous local faces, and the chairs and tables come out as the market becomes one big pub, with food, and the narrow streets fill with young and old alike, dancing to the music, eating and drinking. We wove our way through the happy throngs, Zvi stopping in delight as he saw a stand with perfectly formed guavas, his favourite fruit! To understand the vibrancy of nighttime Mahane Yehuda this 16 second video will help you to understand that Jerusalem is great fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkvzuPXUWGE&t=16s That’s it dear friends. I won’t be writing next week because Zvi and I are going away so I will wish you a Gmar hatima Tova or as we used to say “Well over the fast”. Remember it is isn’t about not eating, it’s all about being so deeply involved in your prayers that you have no need to eat, even though I must admit that as the day progresses, I find myself counting the remaining pages! In the space of just over a week we go from the solemnity of Kippur to the joy of ending the cyclical reading of the Torah to return to the beginning again. The proximity of the sadness and joy is typical of Jewish life throughout the centuries, the millennia, and we express it though our music, as the song says, from major to minor. We leave the sadness of Moses standing on Mount Nebo, unable to enter the Promised Land to the joy of the very Genesis of our world. The eve of Yom Kippur begins with the prayer Kol Nidre. Cantor Natanel Hershtik has the voice of an angel. His father was the Cantor of the Jerusalem Great Synagogue and Natanel proudly follows in his footsteps, albeit in the USA. Not only does he have a beautiful voice but when we met I was charmed by his sweet personality and gorgeous smile upon seeing his parents at the concert. The prayer was first sung in 1565 and is still the entry to a day of atonement. https://youtu.be/Qj5rouyKZ9Y?si=8bELVrjY0Q1qcr0Y Avinu Malkeinu, Our Father, Our King, is sung in the Yom Kippur service, speaking of the need for charity and kindness in our lives, our world, which is what will save humanity. Rather than giving you another Cantor here a beautiful couple known as Yonina sing https://youtu.be/mZotLSlGUgY?si=6_J2s-C7VA1tCr9k As a direct result of the Yom Kippur War Naomi Shemer wrote this beautiful song. Despite rumours to the contrary, it is not a translation of the Beatles Let It Be, but the words rang true for her, that all we pray for will come to fruition. Lu Yehi, Let I be. Here sung by Chava Alberstein. https://youtu.be/mZotLSlGUgY?si=6_J2s-C7VA1tCr9k I wish you a Shabbat Shalom and remember on Yom Kippur, as you spend time in contemplation, that vengeance and resentment should be forgotten. You don’t have to like everyone, indeed you can be totally against what they do, how they act, but holding it in destroys you and all around you. Teach your children to be too busy in self improvement to see the faults in others. A little bit of love goes a very long way and a smile changes lives. Be well, with love from Jerusalem where it all starts. Sheila

Rosh Hashana 5784

14th September, 2023 Shabbat Shalom, Shana tova, Gmar Hatima Tova – May you be inscribed in the Book of Life Today the date is the 29th of Elul, 5783 and tonight the calendar month changes to the month of Tishrei and the first day of Tishrei is Rosh Hashana, literally Head of the Year, This week Israelis watched the ultimate display of democracy as lawyers representing the government and those opposed to the Judicial Overhaul presented their case before 15 Justices of the Supreme Court. It made me so proud as the Justices listened and questioned, ultimately weighing both sides of the question as to whether or not their power be limited or remain as it is. The Reasonableness Standard was, of course, the subject of most of the discussion and the question on the lips of most interested Israelis. What is it? How can it be implemented with certain limitations and of course should it be limited? The debate started in the morning and went on well into the night and I can promise you that the final decision will be fair and honest, thus is the Israel Supreme Court. Justices here are chosen by a panel selection, not by election https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/politics/1694544065-a-sense-of-history-israeli-supreme-court-hears-first-challenge-to-judicial-overhaul There may be, just maybe, a resolution to the political “plonter” coming out of the discussions in the President’s House. President Herzog is currently mediating in a proposal put forward by Benny Gantz. There is popular opposition against any compromise with the current government but someone has to be the adult in the room. Apparently, Netanyahu and President Biden will sit next to each other at the UN General Assembly. There’s always hope. There is a break in the relations between Ben Gvir, Smotrich and the PM as the PM honoured an agreement to provide the Palestinian Authority with American armoured vehicles. We await the outcome. The crisis over visas for staff to work in the major Christian Organisations, especially the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem has been solved, at least for now. The bottleneck was in the Interior Ministry where visas were not passed. The ICEJ in particular does great work in bringing Christian Evangelical communities closer to Israel and supporting Israel. I am happy that there has been a change of heart. The Israeli population has almost reached an incredible 9.8 million people a 12-fold increase since the founding of the State! There are 9,727,000 people living in Israel, the CBS said. Of those, 7,145,000 are Jewish, or 73.5 percent, along with 2,048,000 Arabs (21%) and 534,000 members of other minorities (5.5%). Since last year, the population grew by 216,000 people, an increase of 2.3%. There were 183,000 babies born and 79,000 new immigrants arrived, while 51,000 people died. 46% of the world’s Jewish population lives in Israel. So much is happening in our crazy world. Covid is back in a different form and we are seeing the social results of the isolation in our youngsters. Storms, floods and earthquakes seem to increase, maybe the world is angry at the way we treat each other. Israel’s enemies are enjoying our confusion and are planning to ruin our peace of mind during the High Holidays. Yes, this is a challenging world, but my question is whether it is more challenging or we simply know about it today. Whatever happens wherever in the world, someone is there with a smartphone, ready to take videos to send to the media. The big question is whether we should moan and groan or do something? Those of you who have been reading my missives for a while will know that I have two mottos. One is “The power of one” and the other is “If the media doesn’t inform then we must inform the media” What is the power of one and is it a banal statement with no depth? If each and every one of us ensured our own environment, our own circle, with kindness, mindfulness, tolerance and outreach, just imagine the cumulative effect! One by one we could really change our world. Similarly, every time we see an untruth, a slanted opinion, a lie in the media, don’t just sit and click your tongue – do something! If you know that someone is alone, without family, young or old, invite them or just pop in with a cake, a meal, a smile. Rosh Hashanah is just a day away, a time of contemplation, soul searching and change, perhaps it is time to turn the banal into action! Our fridge is about to burst! I have already started on the salads and of course went out in search of new fruits over which to make the “first time” blessing. Shehechiyanu! The Shehechiyanu blessing “Blessed art Thou, the Almighty, who has given us life, sustained us and allowed us to arrive in this moment” is said over anything new that brings you joy, not just the first fruits, but tradition has it that one finds unusual fruits for Rosh Hashanah. I found this rendition of Shehechiyanu sung by some of the greatest Cantors we have. It is not only wonderful, it’s fun so I decided to sneak another song in here!! https://youtu.be/z9z2NrRDaDA?si=IDd4150YJkPFDM32 We are guests on first night. We have been invited to Galia and Menashe’s home, always a delight as at least 30 people sit around the table, laden with everything good, in Hebrew one says “kol Tuv”. Our contribution will be Gefilte Fish and Chopped Liver and Galia cooks up a storm for the remainder. We will host the second night, a mere 18 diners including, Zvi’s sons, Leor and Amiad and their families and our special visitors, Sandra, Moi, Jonathan and Dalia, from Mexico City, who are on a fantastic holiday, touring the area. We are so thrilled that they are coming for the festive meal – indeed they were here at our place on Wednesday. for a quick tour of our historic home. They have organised wonderful tours determined to see all the new and ancient wonders of Israel. I know that you love hearing about what I prepare so here’s the order of events and the approximate menu. We will start by gathering around the table, outside on the veranda, to hear the dulcet tones of Zvi’s kiddush, to start the proceedings. Of course, kiddush is followed by the blessing over the challah, I’m making one huge challah made up of many small individual rolls which can be pulled off as tradition demands. Then we will have an argument at to whether we put honey on the challah as well as the apple and honey!!! Pomegranate seeds will about on everything! The pomegranate represents fertility and abundance. Now for the real food. Gefilte fish, egg salad, veggie chopped liver, pickles and Tsimmes, followed by (takes a deep breath) Salmon, quiches, veggie lasagne and homemade pizza for the children, stuffed peppers, stuffed mini veg, 2 colour courgette salad, big green salad, tzatziki, coleslaw, roast cabbage salad, roast potatoes, boiled new potatoes ending up with fruit salad, nectarine crumble and for the children, mini choc-ices. I have a feeling that I will do some impromptu salads to accompany but we’ll see. Zvi always says that Jewish festivals are simple to explain, “They tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat” but there are a few festivals where we celebrate being alive and try to live our lives in a more meaningful manner and this is one. Living life in a meaningful manner is the promise we make, our pledge with the Almighty at this time of year, but it shouldn’t be just because we want to be inscribed in the book of good deeds it should be because we really want to be better people. Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Gottlieb is an exceptional man, an exceptional Jew who believes with all his heart that true Judaism is expressed by acceptance, acceptance of the other and of ourselves. He believes that when we are not able to find joy, or at least the good in each and every person, whatever our differences then we cannot be a good Jew. Here he speaks of tolerance and how to live life, whatever our religious leaning. https://youtu.be/omplkmQtO6A?si=IzwMTdCvJ1wqhp7z What do I wish you and our world in the coming year? In truth, I made a whole list of what I want for our world over the next twelve months and then I thought, wow, I, asking people to do what I most dislike, to do what I think!! So instead, I want to quote from what I wrote about the qualities of my amazing son Daniel, Dr Daniel Cammerman z”l when I told you about his passing. Perhaps we should take a leaf from his way of life. To listen fully, pay attention, not to expound on your views but to use your hearing more than your mouth. Always have open arms and heart for those who need you. Remember to tell those you love that you love and appreciate them. Accept that we don’t know it all, that others may just know more than us. To treat everyone with deep respect, irrespective of colour, creed or position in life. The street sweeper may just have something as important to share as the professor. Daniel epitomised all of the above which is why we chose to dedicate a studio for the performing arts in his name in Shalva where equality and inclusion are the purpose of a magical place. If you wish, you can still help with the upkeep of Dr. Dan’s Room which is bringing so much joy to the youngsters of Shalva. https://give.shalva.org/daniel Just click on Sponsor What songs will make you happy and hopeful? One of the most positive songs, born out of personal tragedy, is Ba Shana Habaa, Next year we will sit on our veranda and you’ll see how good it will be. This classic Israeli song was written by Ehud Manor and composed by Nurit Hirsch. May next year be a wonderful year! https://youtu.be/5WsWouCsbaQ?si=QZQQzJ4cqfZdeFiD One of the most moving parts of the Rosh Hashana service is the blowing of the Shofar or Ram’s Horn. In this rendition, the Shofar is the star of the song Mi Ha Ish, who is the man https://youtu.be/pbGrOOVy9Dk?si=1UHXnmkXjJdMkAEK Finally, the Shalva Band reminds us of the way the world should be, in A Million dreams. https://youtu.be/JnnOWLm3oxI?si=TWqxHXOhi4zzAmYn I wish you a healthy year, a year of joy and understanding. I wish Jerusalem a year of peace, of kindness, an elimination of the hatred that affects all our lives, not only here in Israel but all over the world. Shabbat Shalom dear friends. I’m so glad you are here. Sheila PS. I said that I would be on MailChimp but then discovered that because so many of you want to be part of the Shabbat Shalom missive, it will cost just too much. I am deeply grateful to Rochelle Gilbert for setting everything up. I will never expect payment for what I write, I care for Israel and you far too much.

Tragedies, Medals and a New Year

8th of September, 2023 Shabbat Shalom! For the many of you who didn’t receive last weeks missive, I apologise, but I don’t honestly know what happened, apparently Gmail went crazy! Everything will change very soon because thanks to a wonderful lady called Rochelle Gilbert, you will receive my mailings through MailChimp! Don’t forget, if you miss a week, you can always check on the website http://www.theviewfrommyveranda.info We begin this week with tragic memories, with the horrific Munich Massacre of 11 Israeli sportsmen on the 5th of September 1972 in the Summer Olympic Village. Members of the Black September terrorist organisation broke in to Conollystrasse 31, climbing through the entrance and walked up to the 2nd floor, killed two members of the Israeli Olympic team and took a further 9 hostage to exchange for imprisoned Palestinians. The terrorists demanded an aeroplane to escape with their hostages and were told that a helicopter was waiting instead. The rescue operation by the German police went horribly wrong after they refused the assistance of the Israeli security forces and all the athletes were killed. Israel was in mourning and when the bodies of the sportsmen came home, among those who went to receive their bodies was one Kalman Raviv, Zvi’s father, who took Zvi with him leaving an indelible imprint on his son’s life. May the souls of those brave sportsmen rest in peace. The government archives concerning the Yom Kippur War have been released revealing mistake after deadly mistake on almost every level by the leaders in government, secret service and IDF. The writing of an imminent attack by the enemy states which surround us was clearly on the wall, we even had a warning from an Egyptian spy, yet those in charge didn’t believe the signs and we were unprepared. To understand the extent of the “feet of clay” revealed is distressing as leaders one held in esteem prove to be inept. From Golda, Dayan, heads of the Mossad and IDF who didn’t believe that war was imminent, especially when one hears the personal stories of friends, watch non-stop programmes as soldiers finally tell their stories. We were attacked on all sides and lost too many soldiers but the greatest emotional trauma was understanding that the peace of Yom Kippur was broken as the silent streets were filled with soldiers racing to their bases. https://www.timesofisrael.com/we-had-wrong-assessments-almost-all-remaining-yom-kippur-war-files-declassified/ The government attempts at changing, dissolution, of the legal system and the vilification of both the President of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General (both fine women) is just a small part of the laws passed in the Knesset recently, but as long as the Reasonableness Standard remains, the Supreme Court can deny their passing. I have a feeling that we are nearing the end of this government, particularly since President Biden has made it clear that if they continue on their extremist path the Prime Minister will not be invited to the White House. Under normal circumstances I would be insulted by such interference but in this case I feel that the American President is right. Seeing the feet of clay of our politicians everywhere has become a regular occurrence these days but back in those days we still had heroes. Today, sadly politicians don’t make mistakes, much worse, they are so determined to hang on to power, sometimes it is their only agenda, that they are willing to forfeit all moral standards. We are definitely in a ghastly situation, but I promise you two things – ONE that more and more ordinary people whose views are not extreme, who have never felt the need to defend our democracy, who have never taken part in a demonstration in their lives, we will not give up. We are joined by politically diverse movement whose sole motivation is to return to good leadership. TWO that despite the obvious threats from our enemies, Israel is still the amazing place to visit, you will be safe and life goes on, beaches, restaurants, museums, theatre, cinema, parties, prayers all go ahead as usual! Each year exceptional people whose devotion to the people and the State is above and beyond the call of duty, receive the Presidential Medal of Honour from the President. This year, as always, each of the recipients was deserving, but for me, and this is an entirely personal viewpoint, two people stand out. Former Canadian Minister of Justice Irwin Cotler has spent his life defending justice, in his case it isn’t just a title, it is his vocation. Defender of Israel, he and his wife Ariella are among the finest defenders of this country before those who would defile our name, they were both students together with Zvi at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1969 when Zvi began the struggle for Soviet Jewry. The second person has been a military correspondent for many years, since 1974, her gravelly voice telling every story from the point of view of the soldiers. Every soldier in trouble, every lone soldier, Carmela Menashe is there, quietly helping, behind the scenes. I once needed to help a young lone soldier who was very troubled emotionally and she immediately took on his case, talked to him, spent time helping him, finding a suitable place for his army service, none of which became a “story” all done out of pure motive, love of the soldiers. A journalist who really cares. She deserves a hundred medals. This week Zvi and I met an incredible young man. His name is Bilal and he is a nurse, but not just a nurse, he just won the “Nurse of the Year” in the Assuta group of medical institutions. Bilal lives atop the Mount of Olives and besides being an exceptional nurse, he does everything he possibly can to bring calm, peace to what was the Jordanian side of Jerusalem. In the short time we met he expressed a need to meet with the Mayor of Jerusalem to discuss ways to overcome the current volatile situation and the hold the terror groups have over the ordinary population. He told us about the beautiful new school that was built by the Jerusalem Municipality in one of the Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem. A few days before the new school year started Islamic Jihad burned the school down because they were about to teach the Jerusalem Municipality curriculum not the PA/UNWRA syllabus of hatred. We are already in touch by WhatsApp and I will invite Bilal to our home, there is so much I can learn from him about understanding between us. Guess what? El Al is not only one of the last airlines to feed us on our flights, but now top Chef Assaf Granit has created a wonderful menu so that even in tourist class the food will be delicious! Yeah, let’s here it for Israel’s amazing airline!!! Comedian Elon Gold doesn’t speak Hebrew! As he says “I went to Yeshiva for 15 years but I can’t speak Hebrew” which of course is the problem of all of us who learned our Hebrew parrot fashion without knowing what we were saying then come to Israel only to find that we don’t understand a word that is spoken!! A bit of fun to lighten your day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66CRBhofQyM As if it isn’t enough that I learned modern Hebrew, spoken Hebrew, I decided to study Yiddish! Why? Because every time that Zvi tells a joke in Yiddish I understand most of it but always miss the punch line! Every story sounds more interesting in Yiddish, certainly there’s much more pathos, every joke told in Yiddish is funnier, just the sound of it makes me laugh, so yesterday I went to my first lesson. Of course the office forgot to tell me that everyone else was already on their 7th lesson and that I would have to learn grammar as well as conversation, but I am determined to give it a go. I think my parents would have been very proud of me, and I know my grandparents would have been thrilled! For those of you who have visited Israel you may still be confused by the myriad of head coverings, for both men and women. One of the most important socially defining images in Israel is one's head-gear, here it's all about hats. Fact is stranger than fiction! Let's take the simple Kippa, yarmulke, skullcap. What can be special about that little circle of fabric, how on earth can that define who you are? Well let's begin with the knitted kippa, often home made, but in this case colour and size count, and the position on one's head. If it is small and on the left side of the head, that indicates that you are happy-clappy religious Bnei Akiva, the bigger the disc the more religious, and if it is white with a pompom on top then you follow the Bresslauer Rebbe! The black kippa gets bigger with one's piety and changes fabric from crocheted to silk and then to velvet, until one arrives at the big black Fedora perched on the front of the head with a black kippa underneath. Finally, the world renowned furry shtreimel, its height, colour, fur and position the indication of which Haredi Rabbi one follows. Beware of the very large coloured kippa of the extremist youth I doubt that you would enjoy their determination to take Judaism to a political extreme. Then there are women. Covering one's crowning glory, one's hair, is common to almost all religions, east and west, but the level of covering and style are exceptional here. A small piece of cloth, what once we called an Alice Band, indicates religious leanings but not extreme; then a simple pretty scarf tied at the back graduating to a large scarf with a false bun, most obvious is the next step, a huge "construction" of brilliant colours which is perched atop an often beautifully made up face. Finally, the lucky ladies who wear a wig, a sheitl, which means that they never need to worry about dying their hair, or bad hair days because their perfectly coiffed wigs cover all sins! When I was young a sheitl mean a simple pulled back hairstyle with a bun at the back, but today the women often wear long wavy stylish wigs which to me defeats the object of humility! So when you walk the streets of this amazing country, remember that the head-gear identifies the men and women - from Nuns and Priests, to Moslem women and Imams. I challenge you to guess which is which sometimes! So yet another week has passed. I won’t be going to visit Rachel today although I managed to be with her twice this week!!! We are off to Tel Aviv for Shabbat, to take care of Yonatan and Ella, Zvi’s wonderful grandchildren. I love being with them, they are such interesting, delightful children, not like those who demand “screens” all the time, they play general knowledge games, do puzzles, sport and are great fun! It’s already time to combine Shabbat Shalom with Shana Tova and wish people to be inscribed in the good book. It’s so strange, it feels as though it was only yesterday that we walked back from the Yom Kippur service up in Mevasseret. It is quite a walk, down the ridiculously steep Seven Sisters Road but at least there is no danger from vehicles, since there will not be a single car on the roads! That’s Yom Kippur in Israel! Jerusalem is right in the middle of the political argument, the site of demonstrations of both sides, the home of both the Prime Minister and the President, who is doing his very best to bring a safe conclusion to the situation. Jerusalem is home to over fifty Christian denominations (long may it continue), 8 Moslem denominations and then, oh boy, a conglomeration of hundreds of Jewish denominations. Left to our own devices I’m sure we could find a common denominator! I wanted to tell you how gorgeous Jerusalem is, both from street view and from the vista points on the Hass Promenade and Samuel’s Tomb, but as usual I got sidetracked. So, what music do you want? Happy, sad, religious? Let me think. Ahinoam Nini (Noa) singing two of the most familiar of all songs for the New Year, along with young musicians. Songs of hope and good wishes, about how wonderful next year will be as we sit on our verandas. https://youtu.be/ttyPHm2-FDI?si=r1g2iallHzGtZI-I The next song is about the relief of ending the week with a day of rest. It is also about breaking impressions about the Haredi community, the danger of generalisation. Perhaps that’s why I chose this particular song as Haredi men end a day of hard work to welcome the Sabbath. “Barush Hashem it’s Shabbes” https://youtu.be/YG0lbfGUpwU?si=boTdkgTYdCG-2gm8 “Blowin’ in The Wind” written by Bob Dylan so many years ago, at a time of Vietnam and social upheaval, asks all the questions we ask every day of our lives. Here the version sung by Peter, Paul and Mary https://youtu.be/2RlnYC7skbI?si=9pmGtJxY3rSpaDoH I wish you a good weekend, a Shabbat of contemplation, of family. I promise to write to you next week, before Rosh Hashanah, with a letter of hope and joy…. Two things we need so desperately. With love, Sheila

If I Forget Thee

The first of September 2023 15th Elul, 5783 Shabbat Shalom! I hope this missive finds you well. Elul, the Hebrew month of Elul, has so many connotations. The famous saying “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” from The Song of Songs written by King Solomon, the Hebrew initials of the words spell out “Elul” when you read the entire poem it is a love story between a man and a woman. Elul is the month of Selichot, (Penitential prayers) in which we pray that our sins be forgiven as we near the High Holy days which many believe to be the days of judgement for our behaviour over the past year. So according to ancient tradition, I wish that you be written in the good book. It’s popular to claim that the Torah has no relevance to today’s way of life….. think again and read what Rabbi Jeremy Rosen has to say about that in his explanation of tomorrow’s portion Ki Tavo https://www.jwire.com.au/shabbat-ki-tavo-the-land-of-israel/ Sadly, the individual terror attacks continue. Yesterday a Palestinian, with a work permit in Israel, instead of driving to his workplace, rammed the border post near Modiin, the Maccabim post, and killed a soldier, injuring 5 others. A 42 year old father of 5, he did not fit the profile of a terrorist and was a regular at the crossing, but he did what he did in a moment of rage. As I have written many times, murders in Israel are a rarity unlike in most countries of the world, but here in this tiny country we are shocked by each death, especially when it is a young soldier defending our lives. Sergeant Maxim Mulchanov z”l was a lone soldier from Ukraine. May his soul rest in peace. Iranian weightlifter Mustafa Rajaei has been banned from entering any competitions for committing the ultimate sin of shaking the hand of Israeli weightlifter Maxim Svirsky at the World Masters in Poland. The Weightlifting Federation strongly condemned the action of the Iranian government. There are often secret meetings between Moslem countries and Israeli diplomats, irrespective of their diplomatic status, however the moment such meetings are revealed the situation becomes untenable. When Israeli Minister Eli Cohen met informally with his Libyan counterpart, Najla Mangoush, he was meant to keep it hush hush, but didn’t. The public outrage of the Libyan Government meant that Mangoush was fired and had to flee. Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin z”l, was dubious, deeply suspicious of the wording in the Oslo Accords, the Interim Agreement for the Self-Government Arrangements, to be signed between the Israeli Government and the Palestine Liberation Organisation. His concerns were recorded in a Cabinet Meeting on the 30th of August 1993 just 2 weeks before the signing. He felt that Israel was giving too much and the Palestinians too little, he did not want to go through with the signing. His doubts were well known but this week they were finally published after the 30 year release of protocols https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-756776 Zvi and I went to the movies this week, actually we wanted to see the movie Golda but the newspaper gave the wrong times so we went to see an Israeli movie about the Yom Kippur War, “Mezach”, or The Stronghold. To be more exact, it is about a young doctor and an outpost along the Egyptian border in the days leading up to and during the fighting of the Yom Kippur War of 1973, 50 years ago. The acting is outstanding and the story true and revealed the cracks in the leadership, both military and political, during that war. After all the other outposts were destroyed by the Egyptian army, the wounded dying from lack of bandages, morphine and antibiotics, the soldiers had to make a decision. It is really worth seeing either before or after “Golda”. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28511459/ "At Basel I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today, l would be greeted by universal laughter. In five years perhaps, and certainly in fifty years, everyone will perceive it." (Theodor Herzl, 3 September 1897) A man, a dream and reality because one man saw antisemitism in France and realised what the future held without a home of our own. Today Zvi and I live right next to the tree that Theodore Herzl planted on his visit to the future Jewish Homeland. Oh, how I wish he could have seen the beauty, the realisation of his dream that is Israel. With all our problems, and we have many at the moment, this is still a phenomenal, democratic miracle. We are currently living through some difficult birth pains – the birth pains predicted by Hegel and his 80 year theory – as the generation that built this country on unselfish devotion, the generation that lived through the Holocaust, that lived through the expulsion of North African Jews, that lived through the downfall of the Soviet Empire, the generation that built this country has grandchildren that have no idea what it means to be without a Jewish homeland or what Herzl really wanted. I learned a great deal from my husband and often laughed as he quoted Hegel yet again, but he is right, we need to go through this period in order to revive our Zionism. Incidentally, that feisty spirit that built Israel is proving itself every single weekend as the demonstrations against the current government’s untenable policies continue. Do you remember the jokes about Jewish athletes, or rather the lack of them? Well Israel has definitely proven them wrong! Just this week we won medals in Jujitsu, 14 year old Lia Shalev won Gold in the Junior Championship in Las Vegas. Maru Teferi made history as the first Israeli marathon runner to win a medal, a Silver Medal in the World Athletics Championship in Budapest. The Israeli team brought home the Gold at the World Rhythmic Gymnastic Championship in Spain. The various aliyahs brought amazing talents, each with their own speciality; from traditional soccer and basketball to great athletes. Without Chabad (aka the Lubavitch) small communities around the world would not survive. Dublin has one such Rabbi and for the first time in 50 years, a new and much enjoyed kosher restaurant has opened! It is so successful that its reputation has gone beyond the Jewish community to Dubliners in general! I know from my own family how the Chabad Rabbi and his amazing wife in Cardiff have brought the community together irrespective of religious leanings. Such was the dream of Rabbi Shneerson, another dream come true. We love to complain, and right now we really have plenty to complain about, but guess what? Israel has jumped to 4th place in the UN’s recently published global happiness index. Admittedly it predates the current government but despite it all we are a happy people! The top 20 countries bring a surprise for most of you because the media concentration on our troubles forgets to mention that we are a caring, giving society! The list. Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Israel, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Canada, Ireland, United States, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Lithuania My Mummy used to sing a funny song call “Ve’re Going to a Vedding” and that’s what we did this week. The wedding of Itamar to Limor, a very special wedding indeed. Itamar comes from an observant family, he is the son of our very dear friend Motti (Mottle) Friedman, founder of the Herzl Museum, and has chosen a different religious path to his father, but a path full of respect. The wedding itself took place near Nes Ziona, not in a hall but rather under the skies, trees, flowers of a beautiful wedding site. Israeli wedding food is often upside down, that is the pre-food food is served at stands all over the terraced gardens, from sushi to schwarma, from burgers to delicious spiced fish….all in small portions, finger food. Once the guests have overcome the epicurean delights, we all move toward the outdoor Chuppah (wedding canopy) where the parents and for the lucky people, grandparents, await the bride and groom eagerly. At this wedding, Itamar and Limor danced their way to the Chuppah, stopping right next to me to place her veil over her face. The traditional ceremony, the swearing of love for each other and for Jerusalem was complemented by their beautiful words of love about how they met and what brought them to this day. Motti’s exceptional wife Rivka and their daughter Esther stood proudly beneath the chuppah. It was a prefect mix of the very best of a Jewish traditional wedding service with a modern twist. We loved it! Living in Israel is much more than a place to lay one’s head. Living in Israel means being involved in how and who runs the country in the full knowledge that every word uttered carries weight in the big wide world. Living in Israel is all about “Ani l’Dodi v’Dodi Li” about caring for others, for those around us irrespective of their origin, creed, colour or leaning, of being prepared to stand out and stand up. Our dinner parties do not avoid politics and religion, we talk openly about everything, disagree frequently but it is not a hypocritically polite society, often mistaken for brusqueness. We care, we know that this country depends upon us, upon our children, upon our defence and our allies. We recognise that many of you misunderstand our political situation, are confused by our current government’s priorities, despite the fact that you and your politics are in a much worse state! We are like family, no, we are family! Sometimes we fight, sometimes we disagree, sometimes we have to recognise that despite our love we don’t know how to swallow each other’s views, but family we are. Whether left or right, observant or secular, we must educate our children to be tolerant, to accept each other, never to believe that anyone different to us is automatically wrong. The coming of instant everything means that people don’t think before putting their views online creating horrific results in promoting hatred and racism. Even when WhatsApping a friend, think before you write. Talking about educating our children, today Israeli children go back to school! 6 year olds coping with their back packs, excitement mixed with trepidation as their tearful parents take them to their first day in “Kita Aleph” ready to become independent, walking to school each morning. Here the vast majority of children walk alone to school, the school crossings “manned” by their older schoolmates. You may not know but Zvi’s incredible father created the first Mishmar ha Zahav “Golden guards” at the crossings, their lollipops stopping the traffic to let the children cross in safety, long before Britain and the USA had “crossing ladies”. Anyway, I digress, although that’s something you are used to, education. How and what we teach these youngsters can produce either great or bad future leaders. Thank heaven the Israeli state education system won the approval of the Impact-se report (www.impact-se.org ) for its tolerance in education. Read the full Israeli report on the various streams to understand. Today is Itzchak Perlman’s birthday. Genius, mensch, Israeli, leader, example a man who despite his fame has maintained a wicked sense of humour. A real gentleman. Here he plays music from Fiddler on the Roof… enjoy. https://youtu.be/1rT8KC10ErA?si=7iPemuxs1U51WP3r We have had the honour of being present a several weddings recently and one of the most moving moments in a Jewish wedding is just before the groom breaks the glass to remind us of the fragility of life, marriage and Jerusalem, when we sing Psalm 137, King David’s If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I remember thee not; if I set not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy. https://youtu.be/XPC7IrkEFsQ?si=3B-m8cqs-DaJEMpK All we really want, all of us without exception, is to live life in peace, to provide for our children, to play with our grandchildren and to love they neighbour. I sometimes think that if we didn’t have politicians and I’m sorry to say, religious leaders, running our lives we would all get on so well! I just found this video, a beautiful song all about peace among ordinary people. https://youtu.be/OXaB_IZcGLg?si=yE1Oq3JgR1Jj2aR1 So another Shabbat, moving closer to the high holidays. It seems only yesterday that we celebrated Rosh Hashana but it really is a whole year and what a year!! I’m about to head off to Rachel, drawn by the aroma of freshly baked Challot and the anticipation of the look of happiness and delight on the faces of Yosef, Talia and Ayala, the rush to give me hugs as I walk in the door. Rachel’s smile is enough to fill me with joy. I’m sorry to be shmaltzy but our children and grandchildren are the high points of our lives, both those here and abroad…. It is for them that we work to make this world a better place, to leave them a worthwhile legacy of love. I am who I am thanks to my parents, their teachings, my memories of my Mother are dim, she passed away when I was but 17 years old, but the greatest memory of my Father, the one thing that really gave me to face unbearable pain with strength is that each time I came into the room, whether after five minutes or five months, my father’s face would light up just at the fact I was there. May your children always know how much they are loved. I wish you a Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem, the never forgotten city. Sheila