28th
June 2024
266 Days
since the 7th of October
Shabbat
Shalom dear lovely people, Shabbat Shalom
On a
personal level this has been a wonderful week with our friend Martin Lindenfeld.
We have been to, travelled to, been with and laughed, but always there in the
background, and sometimes in the foreground, think about what is happening just
a few miles from our home. I promise to tell you all about our week, but first,
I want you to read what Paul Mirbach wrote just yesterday. It is poignant, it is
how we all feel when we see yet another face, another story of a beautiful child
lost to the vagaries of war. Paul called it “Ironics”
“Our
children are soldiers, and our soldiers are our children. OUR’s.
They make us
proud of what they do, and then we worry when they do it. (How can our hearts
hold both feelings at the same time)?
We do
all we can to keep them safe, but we send them into danger, and it is they who
are keeping us safe.
When they
were children, we were their heroes. Now they are ours.
We want them
to see the world, to experience the thrill of discovery. And then they come
home, and there is a hardness in their eyes from having seen too much, what
no-one should ever have to see.
We teach
them to have faith in humanity and then they come home from Gaza, having seen
what humanity is capable of doing.
But, just
like when they were children, they built their Lego world with plastic bricks,
when the war is over, and our soldiers come home, together, we will rebuild.
With bricks of faith and the cement of our resolve, we will resurrect our
homes, stronger; more resilient. And there WILL BE windows of hope, and doors
of opportunity.
Because here
is our home and we have no other.”
As you well
know, drama is our way of life and this week has proven no different from all
the weeks before it. The Supreme Court decision that Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox)
must serve in the IDF. An essential element of being Israeli is a preparedness
to defend this tiny strip of land. If not actual fighting units then become cooks,
clerks or engineers, or serve in the incredible army of young people who do
Sherut Leumi – or National Service whereby they volunteer to serve in many
capacities. Basically to become part of society rather than the internal strife
that occurs now.
Victims of the October7th massacre, have launched a court
case in New York, suing UNWRA for $1,000,000. The
167-page lawsuit named the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees, as well as seven of its past and current leaders, including head
Philippe Lazzarini, as defendants. UNRWA, which coordinates nearly all aid to
Gaza, allowed Hamas to use its facilities for weapons storage, tunnels and
command centres built under its sites. UNWRA funnelled cash into the terror
group’s coffers; demanding that employees’ salaries be paid in US dollars.
Israeli Minister of Defence Gallant made the decision to go to Washington for discussions with the
US Defence Department, headed by General Lloyd Austin. His decision was not initially
approved by the PM but is an essential healing of the growing rift. “During the meetings we made significant
progress, obstacles were removed and bottlenecks were addressed, in order to
advance a variety of issues, and more specifically the topic of force build-up
and munition supply that we must bring to the State of Israel.” His move could well lead to a move toward the formation of a
new/old party which will include himself, Gallant, Eisenkot, Saar and former PM
Bennett. Hopefully the entire political centre which will include Yair Lapid
thus giving a clearer pragmatic lead in the Knesset, removing the lunatic
fringe. It may come as a surprise to you that I have no problem with the Haredi
sector being represented, as with the Arab sector, as long as they both take on
the responsibilities which are incumbent upon being responsible citizens.
A mere “by the way” in the media is both excellent
and distressing news. Germany's Interior Ministry has
introduced new citizenship requirements, including recognizing Israel's right
to exist. A positive move but sad that it is necessary.
Last night, a very Israeli event
took place in Park haYarkon in Tel Aviv. We Will Dance Again, a huge open air
concert with dancing, all of the major stars giving their performance gratis,
free of charge and all funds raised going to help the families of both hostages
and those slaughtered at the Nova Festival. We will dance again because that’s
what we do. We take our communal trauma, our communal sadness and make it
communal determination to survive and thrive. After all, it is the story of the
Jewish people.
This has been a crazy week, but a wonderful week. Martin
Lindenfeld is not a guest; he just slides into the everyday life of our
family as if he has never left. He is such a joy to have around! Zvi, of course, wants him to catch up on all
activities, history and new museums, sites and sounds crammed into one week,
but Martin will be back soon, hopefully with his wonderful wife Helene. I
digress as always! I wanted to make an attempt to tell you about what we did
this week. I may not get it in chronological order but nonetheless will do my best.
Martin got off the plane
running…… After Shabbat he and Zvi went
off to the demonstration on Hemed Bridge, to get the feel of the emotions of
ordinary people. Sunday and Zvi took Martin to Mount Herzl - the Herzl Museum,
the Memorial for the Fallen Soldiers, the graves of the Presidents and Prime
Ministers while I went off in search of gluten free pitas! I found them right
nearby in Abu Ghosh. That evening we met Rachel and Ayala in Naya Restaurant
and I had fun watching and listening to Martin and Rachel catching up on the
last few years!
On Monday,
Zvi took Martin to the centre of the city, meeting up for a delicious lunch in
the restaurant in Shalva where we were met by Sarah Samuels, the incredible
daughter of Malki and Kalman Samuels, the founders of Shalva. Sarah gave us an
incredible tour, happy, noisy, fulfilled children running in every direction as
they should, both typical and challenged, and then the tour culminated in a
visit to Dr Dan’s Room the Studio for the Performing Arts that we created in my
Daniel’s name. Martin, who loved Daniel, was very involved in creating the
studio from its inception. As Sarah was taking us around we discovered that she
not only had a major role in the Shalva Band but is launching her own singing
career. You will hear her song at the end.
Then it happened!
I mentioned to Sarah that I had never met Yossi, the catalyst for the creation
of Shalva. In case you don’t know the
story, know that Yossi, from the age of 11 months, after having been given a
tainted inoculation became blind, deaf and hyperactive. Thus began the road to
Shalva. Wow! He is phenomenal! A great, funny, clever communicator through tactile
signing. Through Sarah we spoke about, wines (he is a sommelier), cars, cigars
and his love of travel. This amazing man who has met Kings and Presidents has already
invited himself to Miami to sit outside the wine room with martin and smoke
good cigars!!!
Monday evening found us in the Jerusalem Theatre for
an end of year performance by the Hora Dance Troupe teenagers. It was
stupendous! Such professionalism and energy. Israeli folk dancing at its very
best.
Tuesday was the Museum of Tolerance, still unfinished but incredible. Their main feature is an
exhibition dedicated to the 7th of October. The exhibit is a no
holds barred, no prettifying and honest.
From the Museum we went straight to Ben Yehuda pedestrian area for
Martin’s essential felafel, then wandering up and down the street in search of
a Star of David necklace for Martin – not a small one to hide inside one’s Tshirt,
but a beautiful proud delicate one to show the world who he is. Sadly they do
not have their testimonies on line but this is the testimony of Naama Samet Rubenstein
is a forensic scientist, a coroner, who served to identify the bodies https://www.foxnews.com/video/6339673915112
On Wednesday Zvi drove Martin
Southward to Sderot, the Nova site and to Tkuma where the burned out bodies of
cars are piled high in memory of those who lost their lives in them. They then
drove northward to Beersheva, to Soroka Hospital, the hospital that took the
vast number of injured, horribly injured, on that first horrific day. Martin
and Helene are very involved in Soroka Hospital through their amazing
sister-in-law Rachel Heisler Sheinfeld and the Urology department in her
husband Joel’s name. Joel is a world expert in testicular cancer. From there
they went to Tel Aviv to meet with Zvi’s sons Amiad and Leor and families for
dinner. What a day!! Needless to say, yesterday, Martin and I begged a day off
from touring!!
Zvi and martin are currently on their way to a tour
of the new National Library, a truly magnificent building, then this evening we
will spend Kabbalat Shabbat (the welcoming of the bride of the Sabbath) in Hostage
Square and before Martin goes back to Miami we are going north to the Bedouin
Village of Hawalid to visit our wonderful friend Ishmael Khaldi who is currently the Ambassador
to Turkmenistan ( incidentally Turkmenistan, despite being a predominantly
Moslem country, has banned the Hijab fearing extremism). I am so excited that I
will finally get to meet Ishmael’s family!
Why did I tell you
of Martin’s visit in such detail? Because I want you to understand that there
is nothing to fear in visiting Israel! In fact, the most important thing you
can do to support Israel is to come here as so many of our friends from all
over the world have done recently. Reading in the news one would think that we
sit at home and quake, no we don’t! That would allow our enemies to believe
they have triumphed over the Jews, believe you me we have suffered worse and as
I have said so many times, if we refuse to visit friends and family because
they suffer tragedy that would be cruel.
Anyway, Martin and I are off to see Rachel later, she
has already started on the dough for her Challah, I’m sure it will rise very
quickly in this heat! Zvi will go to his
parliament, hopefully to put the world to rights. We will venture forth into
the searingly hot weather, even Jerusalem is humid today!!
And so to song.
I promised you Sarah Samuel’s song. It is
wonderful, her voice as sweet as her personality. It needs played everywhere,
this song dedicated to the families of the hostages. I want it to go viral and
need your help to do so. https://youtu.be/2KTfIJmJ52A?si=7jtJY52hxbyq3v2A
Halleluya, so many renditions,
versions, this one is special. Andre Rieu and chorus. https://youtu.be/NZb-SVm7eLE?si=yy_ot-JaQO9IJiDQ
Last week we read about the 12 scouts that the
Almighty told Moses to send into the land of Israel, to report what they found,
whether this was really the place to bring the Children of Israel. Out of the
12, 10 claimed that it was barren, had giants who fought them, that the land
would devour anyone who tried to settle there. All lied, too complacent with
what they already had, except for two, Joshua and Caleb, who described this as
the land of Milk and Honey. As we have all learned, to reach the honey, one
must suffer the sting. Naomi Shemer is conceivably the greatest Israeli poet
and lyricist and based on those words the song, Al Kol Eleh came about, Today
is the late Naomi Shemer’s birthday so it is only appropriate that the final
song I chose is my favourite, one that I give you often. Al Kol Eleh,
this time with the IDF Orchestra. https://youtu.be/tLjucRUyd4Y?si=wLaOQ2bTWNQxwfDI
Remember that the media is comparable to the 10 scouts,
insinuating that this country is full of racism and violence but in fact we are
still vibrant, we hurt, we mourn but we live, oh boy do we live. We prove that
we are stronger than our enemies because we celebrate life not death. Israel is
a kaleidoscope, a mosaic made up of a multitude of colours, thought, faith all
coming together in a cohesive “balagan”. What is a balagan? It is one of my favourite
words! Balagan is a word with a history, having come
to Yiddish via the Slavic languages, where it was borrowed from the Persians.
In common Yiddish parlance, balagan is a state
of chaos, disarray and confusion, but can also mean the mess your kids leave in
their rooms. If you just come and
see for yourselves you will enjoy the crazy balagan that is everyday life here
in Israel! Nothing like it in the world because it is OUR balagan.
Martin chose to wear Bring them home dog tags and a
yellow number of each day that the hostages are in captivity along with his
beautiful new Magen David (Star of David) ad will do so in Miami. I love him
for that and for so many other reasons. He really, but really “gets it”. He
also never forgets that it was Zvi who started him on his journey as a Zionist.
Have a beautiful Sabbath, a gentle day of rest, of
prayer, of family. Think about us as we think about you. Ater all we are
family, irrespective of how or in which direction you pray.
With much love from Jerusalem, the centre of our
world.
Sheila
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