Friday, 5th January 2024
May this be a Shabbat Shalom
“We are not defined by those who hate us but rather by those who
love us”
In my New Year resolutions I promised to begin by writing
something, anything positive, and I want you to know that many wonderful things
happened this week alongside the tragedies of everyday life, but it would be
unrealistic to ignore the truth too.
One of the most important aspects is that a many miluimnikim –
reservists, have come home, at least for a short time with their families. The
destruction of Gaza that was imposed upon the Gazan people by the actions of
Hamas, is extensive, but it will be razed to the ground and rebuilt; the
destruction of the towns, villages of the Salad Trail, which abuts Gaza, can be
rebuilt but the lives of the families of hostages and those young people who
died will never be the same. Equally, the towns in the North of Israel are
constantly bombarded from Lebanon and some 200,000 people from North and South,
are refugees in our own country and hundreds of young soldiers who are severely
injured, many amputees but their mood is positive and their beds surrounded by
well wishers.
Having understood all of the above, I will tell you about my week. Oh,
and before everyone blames us for the bombing attack in Teheran, ISIS has
claimed responsibility. Oh, and we “don’t know” who killed Salah Al-Arouri, the
Hamas Deputy Leader who lived in Lebanon. As to the insanity of the Western
World toward Israel, Brendan O’Neill probably said it best when he
quoted 17th Century Jewish philosopher Baruch Spinoza’s reaction to the
diabolical murder of a Jewish family ‘Ultimi barbarorum.’ Rough translation: ‘You are
the greatest of barbarians.’ Here is his article entitle “The unholy alliance between
wokeism and barbarism” https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2023/12/brendan-oneill-unholy-alliance-between.html
Israelis have been overwhelmed by the incredible people of every faith who have come to
volunteer, to console, to support and to just show up. It has been so heartwarming
to receive quick messages that friends have come from as far afield as
Australia, New Zealand and the USA or nearby such as Turkey, the UK and Europe.
This expression of love by people of all ages has had a profound effect on all
of us, an effect that often counteracts the demonstrations of hate. Thank you.
Both the New York Times and the London
Telegraph have performed very serious research into the
sexual aspect of October 7th and come to the conclusion that horrendous,
cruel and violent rapes was one of the intentions of the attacks.
60 Minutes is not known for being especially pro-Israel, but October 7th
shook them to the very core and their reportage has been very fair. This
interview with Yarden Roman-Gat says so much https://youtu.be/ixynqr-88gE?si=H_tsO-iOC7z_s_H7
On 29 December
2023, the Republic of South Africa instituted
proceedings against the State of Israel before the International Court of
Justice concerning alleged violations by
Israel of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment
of the Crime of Genocide in relation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and requested the ICJ to indicate provisional measures.
Genocide? The population of Gaza is increasing steadily and since 2005 Israel
has not been in Gaza! I think the greatest insult to our intelligence is that
South Africa is not only one of the most corrupt and violent countries in the
world, it boasts one of the highest rates of rape in the world, one every 26
seconds. I think that just about sums up the ineffectual idiocy of the ICJ and
the entire United Nations.
So you see, although my New Years Resolution
was to begin with good news, I had to include some simple facts of this upside
down world.
I haven’t seen a lot of Zvi over the last few
weeks because he was rehearsing with the Choir of the Jerusalem Symphony
Orchestra for a huge concert at the Henry Crown Auditorium of the Jerusalem
Theatre But before that I want to tell you about Monday evening.
Young adults of Shalva took part in a specially devised play in the Khan Theatre in
Jerusalem with the incredibly patient and gentle encouragement of two of the
actors in the theatre’s troupe. I don’t know if you understand the months of
preparation and rehearsal to bring these young people to the stage, some of
them severely challenged, from autism to Down’s Syndrome and other challenges.
The patience of the actors in guiding them on stage was superb. My favourite
has to be the young woman who played the Princess. For weeks leading up to the
big evening she would tell anyone who would listen that she was a princess.
Anyway, I digress for a change. The evening I attended was the dress rehearsal,
and the audience was made up of the volunteers and parents, most of whom could
not believe that their children would ever achieve such stardom. I sat with our
friends Ronit and Yossi Dagan and the wonderful Gaby Hirsch who helped me every
step of the way to achieve Dr. Dan’s Room, the Studio for the Performing Arts
that we founded in Shalva to honour my son Daniel z”l. In many ways it was you
those of you who helped me to achieve the studio which ultimately allowed these
young people to perform. Daniel would have definitely loved it. https://give.shalva.org/daniel
On Tuesday Zvi was at rehearsals
virtually all day, he kept the actual programme secret but was so thrilled that
neighbours, friends, family and especially his two sons, Amiad and Leor, came
to the concert. The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra came in and then the choir. Usually
Zvi is the tallest and most identifiable in any situation but in both choirs
with whom he sings, he is one of three or four others of the same height, so it
was when the choir walked on stage and took their place, unfortunately partly hidden
behind the orchestra. The concert began with Hatikvah and was a mixture of instrumentals,
the official Jerusalem Symphony singers and the choir and it was superb! The
programme consisted of classical pieces, Israeli songs and for most of us the
culmination was when the choir sang “Bring Them Home” that oh so appropriate song
from Les Miserables.
Wednesday was
spent preparing for the Impact-se Board Meeting Zoom in the evening. I read
every page of the 27 page report with amazement. How such a small organisation,
or should I say such a small research institute into tolerance in education,
can achieve such astonishing results, being taken very seriously as a source of
information by governments in most Western countries, never fails to amaze me.
Indeed, in my opening remarks as Chair, I expressed my admiration for the achievements
on “The Hill” in Washington, in Brussels with the EU, in the UK and the seats
of power in many European countries all of whom fund UNWRA to the detriment of
our entire region. It is essential that you understand that it is not just
hatred for Jews and Israel that is taught in these schools, it is hatred for
all of us who are not believers, we are all included in the terms INFIDEL. Indeed
one of our next projects is to research the effect of such hate education on
the Christian communities (what is left of them) in UNWRA schools. One small office,
one huge step for mankind. Our CEO Marcus Sheff and COO Arik Agassi who lead the
incredible, ridiculously small team, deserve all our gratitude for their
determination to bring tolerance where there was hatred following in the illustrious
footsteps of the founders of Impact 27 years ago. https://www.impact-se.org/
Thursday was a sheer
delight as I met with old friends in Modiin. I don’t know if you have ever
eaten an Israeli breakfast but the variety is wide, always accompanied by a
freshly chopped Israeli salad. We sat in the sunshine, enjoying each other’s
company and incredibly succeeded in spending three hours without talking about “ha
matzav” the situation.
Thursday evening and we had another meeting in
the village library, this time to make beautiful, fabric covered notepads under
the instruction of the incredibly creative Shirli Sheela. It was great fun and
the idea of women meeting for whatever reason, just to be together is one of
the most interesting aspects of this war. We will finish the notepads next
Thursday, but I’m afraid that my folded corners leave a lot to be desired!
And so we are back to Friday and to Shabbat.
Once I finish talking to you, I will head off to see the grandchildren and
Rachel. I decided to leave the cooking until I get back, just in case I run out
of time, because Shabbat still very early.
Being with them gives me an incredible fillip, a boost to my morale, just arriving
to the aroma of freshly baked challot which permeates the entire area, to walk
in the door to the sound of “Safta” and the accompanying hugs – the hugs of
teenagers should never be taken for granted – and my cup of good Yorkshire tea
and a freshly baked bread roll with Rachel’s amazing egg salad. Nothing in the
world beats it!
Tonight we will have a quiet Shabbat. The
candles of each of our neighbours lighting our world just a little, and
tomorrow we are going to spend in Netanya with Zvi’s cousins Sergio and Sarah who
came to Israel on Aliya from Mexico and have never regretted a moment of their
new life in Israel. First we will walk along the glorious promenade beside the
sea and then go to visit their new apartment and have lunch and hear stories of
their new life.
Prince Stephane Legar arrived in Israel from Togo and immediately became a hit
with our young people. Here he sings his thanks to all the soldiers, to Iron
Dome, Magen David Adom to the Israeli journalists who risked their lives to
show us the truth…..to everyone who is essential to our security. “You are in my
heart” https://youtu.be/W9wsmmkZxjE?si=OhoWP0ihHkgtWlKg
As a tribute to Shalva and the children of
Shalva who learn that incredible lesson, that they can be anything, never held
back by those who say they can’t. Remember that young people from Shalva now
serve in the IDF. Here is Yaacov Shewkey, “I Can Be” https://youtu.be/C3nF2KHmQ60?si=w0hMEKKaJ7H8Mqn1
“Ani Chayal” I am a soldier. Recorded 10 years
ago this song by Shlomo Artzi tells an all too familiar story. In this video
you see him talking to his Mother, a Holocaust Survivor. https://youtu.be/mFWuKakl1TA?si=zTMQsenvmWLcKcGd
I wish you a peaceful Shabbat, I wish us all a
peaceful weekend in which we can enjoy the most important people in our lives.
Hopefully I will not need to update you this week unless it is exceptional news
- B’sorot Tovot, good news.
With much love from Jerusalem
Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment